The Hillsdale College baseball team got off to a quick start in both games of a Saturday doubleheader against visiting Lake Erie, going up on the Storm in the bottom of the first inning in both contests.
While the Chargers were able to build on that early edge in the first game to roll to an 8-3 victory, however, Hillsdale's lone first inning run couldn't hold up in the nightcap in a tough 2-1 loss to split the action.
Hillsdale took a three-run lead in the bottom of the first inning in the opener on just one hit, as
Will Lehman blasted a three-run home run over the right field fence following a walk by
Rocco Tenuta and a Lake Erie error that allowed
Zak Kent to reach base. Lehman would continue to pound away with a RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, later scoring on another error by the Storm to give Hillsdale a 5-0 edge.
Rocco Tenuta hit a RBI double in the bottom of the fourth and
Aaron Jasiak drew a bases-loaded walk to stretch Hillsdale's lead to 7-0 before Lake Erie finally got on the board in the top of the seventh, plating three runs to get back in the game. Hillsdale answered back in the bottom of the seventh, as
Will Millard got on with a single, reached third on a double by
Gaard Swenson, and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Billy Porotsky to go back up 8-3.
Drew Erdei held Lake Erie scoreless in the eighth and ninth to secure his first save of the year, while
Daniel Higdon (3-2) started and got the win for the Chargers, cruising through six scoreless innings before running into trouble in the seventh. Erdei was able to get Hillsdale out of the jam in the seventh on the way to his save.
Lehman was 2 for 5 with his three-run home run and RBI double to lead Hillsdale at the plate, and
Rocco Tenuta chipped in two doubles for the Chargers.
Tenuta also helped Hillsdale to a fast start in the nightcap, getting on in the bottom of the first with a one-out single, maneuvering to third base on a steal and a wild pitch, and scoring on a RBI fielder's choice by Lehman.
Hillsdale held that 1-0 lead through the bottom of the fifth inning but missed several chances to add to it, stranding 11 runners, including seven in scoring position. That opened the door for a comeback by Lake Erie, who tied the game in the top of the sixth on a RBI double, and pulled ahead in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk on the way to a 2-1 victory to split the day.
Tenuta was 2 for 3 at the plate with two of Hillsdale's four hits in the game, with
Gaard Swenson and
Aaron Jasiak each adding a single as well.
Hillsdale's pitchers combined to give up just four hits, but issued eight walks and two hit by pitches, and those free bases proved costly in the end.
Gibson Cary started and went four scoreless innings, striking out four and walking four,
Logan McLaughlin went two innings with three strikeouts, and
Patrick MacLean pitched the seventh and took the loss.
The Chargers are now 15-15, 8-6 overall, and face another critical doubleheader with the Storm on Sunday at 1 p.m. Hillsdale needs a split to keep pace or a sweep to pull ahead of Lake Erie in the G-MAC North Division standings with a series of tough conference contests on the horizon after this weekend.
Photo by Steve George
