SATURDAY RECAP

Game 1 box score: GVSU 11, HC 3

Game 2 box score: GVSU 11, HC 10

Junior outfielder Luke Ortel sent a ball flying to the very edge of the field in the bottom of the ninth inning of the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Grand Valley State. If the ball clears the fence, Hillsdale wins a wild game. But such is the cruel luck of the game that the ball was caught no more than a foot from beyond the wall.

The Chargers lost both games to the Lakers Saturday, by scores of 11-3 and 11-10, dropping their record to 15-27 overall and 10-16 in the GLIAC. The teams conclude their four-game series starting at noon Sunday.

The Charger baseball program will honor its seven graduating seniors between Sunday's two games.

The second game featured basketball-like scoring runs from each team, the lead trading hands three times between the third and eighth innings. Hillsdale scored a run in each of the first three innings, taking a 3-0 lead into the fourth. GVSU fought back with a five-run fourth to take a 5-3 lead. The Chargers scored once in the fourth and three more times in the fifth, making it a 7-5 ballgame.

Grand Valley State came back with three in the seventh and two more in the eighth to flip a two-run deficit into a 10-7 lead. A big two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth tied the game up at 10. The Lakers were able to get the game-winning run in the top of the ninth, setting up Ortel's near-game winner.

Five different players had multi-hit games in the nightcap for Hillsdale. DH Eric Shankin was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, and senior Vinny Delicata drove in 2 runs. Tad Sobieszczanski had two doubles and scored twice.

In game 1, junior Chris McDonald hit a two-run home run to pace the offense. GVSU scored five times in the first inning and four more times in the second to take an insurmountable lead.

Photo by Jenny Bals