The Hillsdale College baseball team came into Sunday's doubleheader at Northwood in desperate need of a victory to stay in the G-MAC Tournament race, and played like it.
The Chargers rolled to a 16-2 game 1 victory behind 13 runs in the first two innings, but couldn't hold on to a late lead in the nightcap, falling 9-8 in extra innings to the Timberwolves to split the day.
Knowing a sweep at the hands of the Timberwolves would likely be the end of their G-MAC Tournament hopes, Hillsdale jumped on Northwood early in a huge way in the opener. Hillsdale plated seven runs on three hits in the first inning, taking advantage of three Northwood walks and a hit by pitch and getting a RBI single from Will Shannon, a two run single from Joe Hardenbergh, and a two-run triple from Will Millard to go ahead early.
After Northwood got a run back in the bottom of the inning, Hillsdale continued the assault in the top of the second, plating an additional six runs on eight hits. Back up to bat, Shannon blasted a two-run home run to right field to kick off the scoring, while Rocco Tenuta added a RBI double, Hardenbergh chipped in another RBI single, and Tyler Turner hit a two-run single as well.
The Chargers capped off the barrage in the top of the fourth inning with a RBI single by Jaekob Sallee and a two-run home run by Shannon, his second of the game and a team-leading 12th on the season, adding three more runs. A solo home run by Northwood in the bottom of the inning did nothing to change the ultimate outcome.
Shannon went 4 for 4 at the plate with five RBIs and those two home runs, Sallee went 3 for 3 at the plate with three runs scored and Danny Passinault added two hits and a triple for the Chargers, who pounded out 18 hits in a critical victory for Hillsdale's larger ambitions on the season.
Paul Brophy picked up his fourth win of the season on the mound for Hillsdale, going five innings with one strikeout, no walk and just one earned run conceded. Patrick MacLean and Kolin Endres each added two strikeouts and a walk in an inning of relief as well for the Chargers.
With the critical win achieved, Hillsdale looked to build on its momentum to add what would be another huge victory in the final game of the series. Hillsdale held the lead at three junctures in the nightcap, but couldn't hold on to those edges in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss in extra innings.
Millard gave the Chargers their first advantage with a solo home run in the top of the third inning, and after Northwood responded with a home run in the bottom of the fourth, Hillsdale struck what looked like it might be the decisive blow in the top of the fifth. Aaron Jasiak tripled down the right field line to score two runs and put the Chargers back in front, then scored on a single by Sallee to give Hillsdale a 4-1 edge.
The Chargers added an insurance run on a sacrifice fly by Sallee in the top of the seventh to go up by four runs, nine outs away from the victory, but it was not to be as Northwood caught fire in the bottom of the inning, plating five runs to turn a 5-1 deficit into a 6-5 Northwood lead.
Millard came through again for Hillsdale with a two-out double in the top of the eighth to tie the game at six runs apiece and force extra innings, and the teams went back and forth for four additional innings in extras. Hillsdale had another big moment in the top of the 12th, scoring the go-ahead run on a single to center field by Danny Passinault, who then got to third on an error and was driven in on a sacrifice fly by Shannon for an additional insurance run.
The 8-6 lead was not enough, however, as Northwood responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game, then scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the 13th on a single to left center.
Millard led Hillsdale at the plate with two extra-base hits and two RBIs, and Sallee and Jasiak each chipped in two hits as well for the Chargers. Jasiak took the loss in relief for Hillsdale, striking out one batter in the 13th. Brandon Scott was Hillsdale's starter and went six innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts and two walks, while Logan McLaughlin, Chad Stevens and Andrew George also pitched in relief for Hillsdale in the marathon game.
Hillsdale is now 16-25 overall, 10-14 in G-MAC play and sits three games back of Ohio Dominican and Kentucky Wesleyan for the eighth and final spot in the G-MAC Tournament with eight games remaining. The Chargers play their final home series of 2024 this coming weekend and it's a crucial one with the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers coming to town, and the opportunity for Hillsdale to eliminate the gap between itself and the Panthers in one weekend. The Chargers also are holding the dedication for the brand new Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium and TFO Partners Field on Saturday, April 27th at 1 p.m., and will have Senior Day for the team's 15 graduating seniors on Sunday, also at 1 p.m.
Photo by Steve George