The Hillsdale College baseball team couldn't get going at the plate in a pair of frustrating losses to host Tiffin to kick off a weekend road series on Saturday.

The Chargers finished with just seven hits and three total runs across 16 innings of play as the Dragons took early leads in both contests and held off Hillsdale from there.

In the opener, Tiffin scored nine total runs in the second, third and fourth innings to blow the game wide open early. The Chargers built a big threat in the top of the seventh to try and get back in the game, loading the bases and scoring a run on a bases-loaded walk, but couldn't get more out of the inning and two more Tiffin runs in the eighth triggered the run rule in an 11-1 loss.

Zak Kent was 2 for 4 at the plate to bag two of the Chargers' four hits in the contest, and Jake Figman and Billy Porotsky each added a hit as well.

Daniel Higdon (4-3) took the loss for the Chargers, striking out four and walking two across three innings of work, and Drew Erdei and Brenden Smith also pitched in relief for the Chargers.

The nightcap was much tighter as Hillsdale starter Gibson Cary (3-3) struck out six, walked one and held Tiffin to just three earned runs and four total runs in a complete game effort. Unfortunately, the Chargers weren't able to take advantage offensively, finishing with just three hits in a 4-2 loss.

Hillsdale took the first lead of the contest, as the Chargers benefited from a Tiffin error and Gaard Swenson was able to score Billy Porotsky on a double to right field. Tiffin seized the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the second, though Hillsdale was able to close the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly by Zak Kent to score Augie Hutchison after a leadoff single.

That got the Chargers within one run of the lead, but Hillsdale managed just two baserunners in the final four innings, and got a potential tying run in scoring position only once, in the top of the fifth. Tiffin added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth and put the Chargers down in order in the seventh to secure the victory.

Along with Swenson's double, Augie Hutchison and Aaron Jasiak each added a single as well for the Chargers.

Hillsdale falls to 21-23 in the G-MAC ,14-12 overall, and faces a critical doubleheader tomorrow against the Dragons. With four games against one of the top teams in the league, Ashland, looming next weekend, the Chargers need to take at least one and ideally both of tomorrow's contests to avoid falling onto the G-MAC Tournament bubble with a difficult series left. Sunday's games will start at 1 p.m.