The Hillsdale College baseball team played spoiler once again on Friday in the final weekend series of the season, splitting with visiting Ashland to severely dent the Eagles' G-MAC title hopes while boosting their own chances of a top four finish.

After a 6-4 extra inning loss in the opening game, the Chargers rode a four-run second inning to a 5-3 victory in the nightcap to move to 17-14 in G-MAC play, passing Findlay and Kentucky Wesleyan in the standings.

Trailing 1-0 after Ashland loaded the bases and got a run across in the top of the first inning, Will Millard worked a walk to lead off the bottom of the second and start a big outburst for the Chargers offense. Gaard Swenson and Billy Porotsky each followed Millard's walk with a single to load the bases, and Aaron Jasiak drove all three home with a bases-clearing triple to the right-centerfield fence to give Hillsdale the lead. Tyler Turner added a double that dropped in shallow center field to score Jasiak and give the Chargers a 4-1 lead it wouldn't relinquish.

Ashland got back in the game in the top of the fifth on a two-run home run, but Jacob Pallo struck out the first batter he faced in relief to end the threat and maintain a 4-3 edge.

Augie Hutchison got a critical insurance run for the Chargers in the bottom of the fifth on a double that scored Rocco Tenuta from second, and Pallo retired six of the final seven batters he faced to preserve the lead and record his first career save.

Hillsdale's five runs came on just six hits but the Chargers strung them together well and flashed extra base power when necessary. Gibson Cary (4-3) earned the win for Hillsdale, striking out one and walking two in four and two thirds innings of work, and Pallo did the job in two and a third innings of relief, allowing just one baserunner with two strikeouts to his name.

The Chargers came very close to getting a sweep of the Eagles in a tight 6-4 loss in the first game that went to extra innings. Hillsdale led for most of the contest, as Rocco Tenuta gave the Chargers a 1-0 edge on a solo home run in Hillsdale's first at-bat of the game, and, after Ashland tied things up in the top of the second, Augie Hutchison got the Chargers back in front in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly that scored Zak Kent from third to make it 2-1 Hillsdale.

Ashland tied the game in the top of the fifth and pulled ahead 4-2 with two runs in the top of the sixth, but Hillsdale refused to go down, as Gaard Swenson hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at four runs apiece. 

After a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, Hillsdale had runners at first and second with a chance to walk off, but couldn't get the lead runner across, and in the top of the eighth, Ashland plated two runs to take the 6-4 victory.

Will Lehman went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the loss, and Zak Kent chipped in a double along with Tenuta and Swenson's home runs.

Patrick MacLean (1-3) took the loss for Hillsdale, pitching three innings of relief, while starter Brandon Scott went five innings with three strikeouts, three walks and just one earned run conceded.

Hillsdale is now 24-25 overall, 17-14 in the G-MAC, and currently sit in fourth place in the conference entering the regular season finale tomorrow at 12 p.m. against the Eagles. Hillsdale will remain ahead of fifth place Findlay with either two Oilers losses, or a Hillsdale victory over Ashland and at least one Oiler loss to Northwood. Saturday also is Senior Day for the Chargers, and all seven of Hillsdale's graduating seniors -- Kent, Hutchison, Scott, Drew Erdei, Max French, John Hunter and Kaden Nowak -- will be recognized in a pregame ceremony.