Schedule
Hillsdale College (2-5) vs Indiana (PA) (1-3) | 12 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 28 | Kenrick Family Ballpark – Morgantown, WV
Hillsdale College (2-5) vs Indiana (PA) (1-3) | 3 p.m. ET Saturday, March 1 | Kenrick Family Ballpark – Morgantown, WV
Hillsdale College (2-5) vs Lock Haven (6-2) | 11 a.m. ET Sunday, March 2 | Kenrick Family Ballpark – Morgantown, WV
 
Links
Hillsdale Roster | Indiana (PA) Roster | Lock Haven Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Indiana (PA) Stats | Lock Haven Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
 
Preview
Hillsdale had an excellent series in Indianapolis this past weekend, splitting a series with then fifth-ranked Indianapolis for their first two wins of the season. 47 runs across four games, including 38 in the Chargers' two wins gives Hillsdale a strong offensive foundation.

The Chargers will get a chance to add more big victories this weekend, as they play two games against another 2024 College World Series qualifier in Indiana (PA) as part of a three game weekend in Morgantown, West Virginia that also includes a contest against Lock Haven.

The Crimson Hawks started the season as a top-10 team, but opening weekend results were unkind to Indiana (PA), who went 1-3 at USC Aiken, and dropped out of the NCBWA rankings as a result. That slow start doesn't make IUP any less of a regional contender or a dangerous team, however.

IUP returns five of its top seven hitters from a team that made the College World Series and made a run last season, headlined by sophomore Ricardo Aponte, who was a second team All-PSAC honoree last season and hit .571 the opening weekend. Fellow returning starters David Kessler and Peyton Johnson each had four RBIs for the Crimson Hawks against the Paces, and Au'sean Owens hit above .300 with two doubles as well. Along with those players, IUP also has two preseason All-Atlantic Region players in the lineup in Mercyhurst transfer Mitchell Grosch and West Virginia St. transfer Michael Huber.

On the mound, IUP must replace their top pitcher from 2024, Mark Edeburn, but return three veteran starters in Jake Black, Derrick Shields, and Nathan Mankoski, all of whom made at least nine starts, had ERAs under five, and had winning records in 2024. Mankoski pitched five innings with no earned runs in IUP's lone win on opening weekend, and Shields also pitched well, with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings. It's likely Hillsdale will see two of those three pitchers this weekend. IUP also should have a loaded bullpen with the return of their four most used relievers last season, including saves leaders Casen Sandri and Bryce DeVan. Freshman Cameron Copple already has a save for the Crimson Hawks this season.

Hillsdale finishes the weekend with a game against Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles were just 11-34 last year but are off to one of their best starts in program history so far, with a 6-2 record entering this weekend. Lock Haven's start has been powered by an excellent performance on the mound, as seniors Garrett Starr and Matt Lingenfelter have each been named PSAC East Pitcher of the Week so far and have combined for three wins and an ERA below 1 in three starts. Freshman Kevin Grenninger also has a 0.00 ERA in one start and five innings pitched, and fellow starters Brady Myers and Jason Labrador each have an ERA of 3.15 or less. Lock Haven also has a talented closer in sophomore Jace Szaflarski, who already has two saves and has yet to give up a run in two appearances.

Offensively, the Bald Eagles are led by sophomore Zachary McEllroy, the 2024 PSAC East Freshman of the Year who's hitting .400 with two home runs and eight RBIs, and fellow sophomore Nathan Wise, who's hitting .333 with two home runs and a team-leading 10 RBIs. Freshman Ethan Nagy is also hitting above .300 for Lock Haven, as are infielders Bryce Vincent and Nick White.

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. Already, first baseman Will Lehman and outfielders Tyler Sowers and Gaard Swenson have started several games and made huge offensive contributions, with Carson Tucker, Billy Porotsky and Jake Figman all getting starts as well.

This is Hillsdale's first meeting with IUP in at least a decade, though a scheduled three-game series between the two teams was wiped out by weather last season. Hillsdale last played Lock Haven in 2014, winning a 16-5 neutral site game in Clearwater, Florida.