The Hillsdale College baseball team couldn't build off a strong start to a weekend series with Findlay, dropping both sides of a Sunday doubleheader to split with the Oilers on the road.

The Sunday opener was a mirror image of the first game Saturday with the roles reversed. Unlike yesterday, when Hillsdale jumped out to a 12-0 lead, it was Findlay's turn today to carve out a massive early edge, taking a 9-0 advantage and leading 12-2 after five innings. 

The Chargers scored twice in the top of the fifth to get on the board, with senior Zak Kent bashing a triple into centerfield to score a run before scoring himself on a Will Lehman sacrifice fly. Hillsdale made a huge push in the top of the sixth, with Kent once again at the center of the action with a three-run home run to right field following a two-run single by Rocco Tenuta to cut the deficit to 12-7. 

Hillsdale couldn't keep the inning going, and, despite a baserunner in the seventh, ultimately couldn't complete the comeback. Kent was 2 for 4 with his two big hits, Gaard Swenson added a single and a double and Jake Figman chipped in two hits as well to lead the Chargers at the plate in the loss. Jacob Pallo (1-2) took the loss for Hillsdale, with both Drew Erdei and Collin Lange pitching in relief.

The nightcap was a tense thriller that was 2-2 entering the ninth inning, but a leadoff double by Findlay allowed them to get a runner to third base, and a wild pitch by the Chargers allowed the walk-off run to score in a 3-2 defeat.

Hillsdale led early in the contest after a sacrifice fly by Billy Porotsky scored Will Lehman in the top of the second. Findlay tied the game up with a run in the bottom of the third and pulled ahead 2-1 with another run in the bottom of the seventh, but Kent kept the Chargers in the game with a solo home run to left field in the top of the eighth that evened the score once again.

Augie Hutchison led Hillsdale at the plate with a 2 for 4 performance and Swenson had Hillsdale's only other hit of the contest as the Chargers finished with just four in the game.

Brandon Scott had a strong start for the Chargers, striking out five, walking two and giving up just two runs in six and two-thirds innings of work. Patrick MacLean (0-2) took the loss in relief for the Chargers, and Hayden Hoffpauir also made an appearance for Hillsdale. 

The defeats drop Hillsdale to 19-18 overall and 12-8 in G-MAC play, but the Chargers remain in third place in the North Division, two games ahead of Lake Erie and two-and-a-half games ahead of Findlay.

Next up for Hillsdale is a huge home series with the current G-MAC leader, Northwood, this coming Friday and Saturday. The Timberwolves took their first conference loss on Sunday but are still well clear of the field with a 19-1 mark in G-MAC play. Hillsdale will look to pull some upsets as the Chargers try to stack wins and lock up a G-MAC Tourney berth. First pitch on Friday will be at 3 p.m. for a doubleheader between the two squads.

Photo by Kyle Niermann, Findlay Athletics