The Hillsdale College baseball team jumped out to an early 2-1 lead at Maryville on Sunday, but couldn't overcome a difficult fifth inning in a 14-4 loss to the Saints to conclude a three-day trip to Saint Louis.
Jaekob Sallee put the Chargers in front in the top of the third inning, hitting a RBI single with the bases loaded and two outs that scored Jeff Landis and Will Shannon. That big hit was a welcome breakthrough against the Saints after the Chargers had been shut out by Maryville on Friday, but Hillsdale failed to capitalize on early baserunners in both the fourth and fifth innings, and Maryville took advantage with a huge bottom of the fifth, driving in seven runs to take an 8-2 lead.
Freshman Aaron Jasiak got a run back for the Chargers in the sixth on a single, an error, and some heads-up baserunning, and Joe Hardenbergh added another run on a passed ball in the seventh as well, but Maryville kept scoring, eventually knocking the Chargers out in the eighth with four runs to take a 14-4 advantage.
Landis and Evan Fauquher each had two hits for Hillsdale, and Danny Passinault added a stolen base, but the Chargers couldn't convert nine hits into sufficient runs, stranding 10 on base in the loss.
Daly Skees took the loss on the mound for Hillsdale, pitching four and a third innings with three strikeouts and two walks. Chad Stevens struck out four in two innings of relief for the Chargers, and Paul Brophy and Brendan Pochmara each pitched in relief as well for Hillsdale.
The Chargers fall to 3-8 overall, and will look to regroup this week before heading to Pennsylvania for a three game series with Indiana (PA), beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Photo by Steve George