The Hillsdale College baseball team came up just short in its home opener against a Saginaw Valley State squad that's receiving votes in the ABCA Coaches Poll, falling in a 3-2 contest.

Hillsdale outhit SVSU 7-5 and held a 2-0 lead after four innings, but an untimely error allowed a Cardinals run to score in the top of the fifth, and a leadoff bunt single led to a two-run home run that put SVSU up for good in the top of the sixth.

Gaard Swenson led off the game with a double for Hillsdale and later scored the Chargers' first run on a RBI single by Zak Kent in the bottom of the third as Hillsdale put SVSU ace Chase Raymond under duress multiple times in the early innings, but failed to find the breakthrough hit to chase him or build a substantial advantage. 

Hillsdale added another run in the bottom of the fourth as Augie Hutchison scored on a fielder's choice by Tyler Turner, but the Chargers also hit into three double plays and stranded six runners. After SVSU pulled ahead, Rocco Tenuta gave the Chargers best chance of evening the score in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff double, but Hillsdale went down in order after him to end the threat and were retired 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth to end the game.

Swenson and Tenuta each finished with a single and a double to lead the Chargers offensively in the contest, and Winston Delp took the loss in relief, striking out two in an inning and a third of action. Jacob Pallo pitched four scoreless, hitless innings to start the game for Hillsdale in a strong performance, Patrick MacLean struck out two in one and two-thirds innings, and Aaron Jasiak finished the final two innings for the Chargers by striking out four of the eight batters he faced.

Hillsdale (6-9) opens conference play with a doubleheader on Friday against Malone starting at noon, part of a four game series over the weekend against the Pioneers at Thurman Munson Stadium in Canton.

Photo by Steve George