Schedule
Hillsdale College (0-3) vs #5 UIndy (3-0) | 3 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 21 | Grand Park – Indianapolis, IN
Hillsdale College (0-3) vs #5 UIndy (3-0) | 12 p.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 22 | Grand Park – Indianapolis, IN
Hillsdale College (0-3) vs #5 UIndy (3-0) | 3 p.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 22 | Grand Park – Indianapolis, IN
Hillsdale College (0-3) vs #5 UIndy (3-0) | 12 p.m. ET Sunday, Feb. 23 | Grand Park – Indianapolis, IN
 
Links
Hillsdale Roster | UIndy Roster | 2024 Hillsdale Stats | UIndy Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
 
Preview
A tough opening stretch continues for the Hillsdale College baseball team this weekend, as the Chargers take on the top team in the Midwest Region and one of the top teams in the nation in the sixth-ranked University of Indianapolis.

This weekend's schedule has been heavily altered by the weather, as Hillsdale was originally scheduled to play UIndy twice and Lewis twice in Marion, Illinois. Snow in southern Illinois forced a change in venue to Indianapolis, and turned it into a four game weekend against the Greyhounds.

The two-time defending Midwest Region champion and the favorite to make it back to the DII College World Series from the region again this year, the Greyhounds may be the most formidable opponent Hillsdale faces all season, despite several strong foes on the schedule. UIndy went 41-21 last year, winning the GLVC regular season title and sweeping Saginaw Valley State in the Super Regional to return to Cary.

The Greyhounds did have significant graduation losses from last year's squad, returning just three of their top 10 hitters in terms of plate appearances, but restocked with Division I talent in the transfer portal, including Indiana transfer Austin Bode, Milwaukee transfer Luke Smock, and Marshall transfer Tre Hondras. UIndy already had talent before those players arrived, led by preseason All-American Easton Good, who's hitting .667 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in just three contests. Nick Lukac and Cole Hampton also return as every-day players from 2024.

On the mound, UIndy returns an ace pitcher in Diego Cardenas, who earned first team All-GLVC honors in 2024 and pitched six and two-thirds shutout innings in his first start this season. Dawson Gabe also returns as a regular starter from 2024, and JuCo transfer Nic Besecker looks like a front-end starter for the Greyhounds as well. With the graduation of closer EJ White from last year's squad, UIndy is looking to multiple players to fill the void, including returning relievers Austin Bestul, Frankie Klemm and Payton Plym, as well as Maryville transfer Drake Downing.

After narrowly missing the G-MAC Tournament in 2024, Hillsdale bid farewell to a massive senior class and 16 total players, while adding 15 new freshmen to the roster in a turnover that will reshape the program heading into the upcoming campaign.

While Hillsdale has big shoes to fill in its lineup in terms of offensive production, the cupboard is far from bare for the Chargers. Three of the team's top six hitters return, led by sophomores Rocco Tenuta and Will Millard, who each hit above .280 with double-digit extra base hits as freshmen in 2024 and who will be mainstays for Hillsdale this season. The team's best returning hitter overall might be senior Zak Kent, who seized a starting role in the outfield midway through 2024 and had the best batting average (.357), slugging percentage (.571) and on-base percentage (.423) among returners in 2024.

Along with those three, Hillsdale also brings back its starting shortstop and second baseman from last year in sophomores Aaron Jasiak and Tyler Turner, as well as another veteran infielder who got good playing time last season in Kaden Nowak. In the outfield, senior Augie Hutchison will get his shot to lock down a starting spot after three seasons playing behind veteran stars.

On the mound, Hillsdale brings back two players with significant starting experience in sophomore Daniel Higdon, who was one of the Chargers top pitchers before a late season injury, and senior Brandon Scott, who transitioned out of the bullpen late in the year and impressed in three starts. Sophomores Hayden Hoffpauir, Jacob Pallo and Josh Novak all have a year under their belt and will battle to lock down bigger roles this season.

The Chargers have options in the bullpen, including Jasiak, who excelled as a reliever on top of his hitting for Hillsdale last season, senior Andrew George and sophomore Logan McLaughlin, as well as pitchers from the group above who don't land one of the four weekend starting jobs. The raw talent is there for Hillsdale to take a step forward as a staff, and that's a key for the Chargers to have a successful 2025 – a 7.34 team ERA in 2024 was a major reason the team missed the G-MAC Tournament last season.

The X-factor for Hillsdale this season is that 15-player freshman class, one that's full of talent and pedigree. While the lineup is still uncertain, it's likely that multiple freshmen will end up starting in the field for the Chargers in 2025, and several of the six freshmen pitchers will see the field either in a starting or relief role. How much of an impact those freshmen can make could determine how successful of a season 2025 ends up being for Hillsdale.

Hillsdale last played UIndy in a three-game series in 2020, winning 6-1 in the opener and losing the next two to the Greyhounds. The two teams also met in the 2016 NCAA DII Midwest Regional, with UIndy taking a 4-1 victory that knocked Hillsdale out of the tournament.