The Hillsdale College baseball team put a scare into the fifth-ranked University of Indianapolis on Saturday in a single-game contest at Grand Park in Indianapolis, but late insurance runs by the Greyhounds put the game out of reach in a 7-4 defeat.

Trailing 5-2 in the top of the eighth inning, Hillsdale plated two runs, set up by a double from Zak Kent, to pull within one and put pressure on UIndy to respond. Will Lehman followed up Kent's double with a RBI double of his own, and after back-to-back walks, freshman Tyler Sowers was hit by a pitch to score Lehman for another run. 

Hillsdale couldn't keep the rally going and take the lead, however, as a new Greyhounds pitcher induced a groundout to end the inning, and UIndy did indeed respond in the bottom of the eighth, getting a two-run single to score critical insurance runs. The Chargers had one more chance in the top of the ninth, but despite an error by UIndy that put runners at second and third and brought the tying run to the plate, Hillsdale couldn't get the timely hit it needed.

The Chargers took the first lead of the game in the top of the second, after Lehman reached on a single and sophomore Aaron Jasiak hit a triple to left center to score him and give Hillsdale a 1-0 edge.

UIndy pulled ahead in the fourth on a two-run home run, and Lehman again came up big for the Chargers to retie the game in the top of the sixth with a single through the right side to score Zak Kent.

In the bottom of the inning, however, UIndy scored two runs to pull ahead for good, and tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the bottom of the eighth.

Lehman finished 3 for 5 with a double and two RBIs to lead Hillsdale at the plate, Kent chipped in a single and a double, and Sowers added a double as well.

Andrew George took the loss for the Chargers in relief, striking out two and walking three in two innings, and Daniel Higdon got the start for the Chargers, pitching five innings with four strikeouts and four walks. Winston Delp finished the game for Hillsdale with two strikeouts in an inning of work.

Hillsdale falls to 0-4 and will get two more shots at UIndy on Sunday, as the Greyhounds host a doubleheader against the Chargers beginning at 12 p.m. at Grand Park.

Photo by Steve George