Throughout the regular season, the Hillsdale College baseball team showed it was capable of playing with and beating the best teams in the G-MAC.
On Wednesday, in a G-MAC Tournament opening game against fourth-seeded Findlay at Prasco Park, the fifth-seeded Chargers put that potential into practice, cruising past the favored Oilers by a massive margin in a 12-2 victory to stay on the top half of the bracket in Pool B.
Hillsdale jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning, plating all the runs they'd need to win the game before Findlay came up to bat.
Rocco Tenuta led off the game with a single for the Chargers, and after an
Augie Hutchison walk,
Will Millard hit a two-run triple to right-centerfield to put the Chargers ahead and later scored on a RBI single by
Gaard Swenson.
Up 3-0, Hillsdale had to weather an early storm from Findlay, as the Oilers loaded the bases in each of the first three innings, twice with one out or less, but came away with just two runs. Hillsdale turned a massive double-play to end the threat in the bottom of the first inning, and made more smart defensive plays in the bottom of the second and third to hold on to a 3-2 edge.
The Chargers quickly added to that lead in the top of the fourth.
Billy Porotsky reached on a bunt single with one out, and after stealing second base, scored on a base hit by
Aaron Jasiak to make it 4-2 Hillsdale. Jasiak would score on a fielder's choice later in the inning to extend Hillsdale's edge back to three runs.
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Will Millard solo home run in the top of the fifth made it 6-2 Hillsdale, and the Chargers put the game away in the final three innings.
Gaard Swenson hit a two-run single,
Billy Porotsky added a two-run double, and Jasiak chipped in another RBI single as Hillsdale added six more runs to end any chance of a Findlay rally.
The Chargers had an excellent contest at the plate, pounding out 13 hits, led by Millard's triple, home run and two walks. Porotsky and Hutchison each chipped in a single and a double for Hillsdale, and Swenson and Jasiak each finished with multiple hits as well. Eight of Hillsdale's nine starters recorded a hit in the win, and all nine reached base at least once.
On the mound,
Jacob Pallo (4-5) was excellent in relief to earn the victory, striking out seven and walking one across six scoreless innings to help Hillsdale advance. Pallo relieved starter
Daniel Higdon, who struggled with control across three innings of work but kept battling and got out of multiple jams to limit the damage and keep the Chargers ahead.
Hillsdale (25-26) is now three wins away from the G-MAC Tournament crown, and battles top-seeded Northwood for the chance to advance to the Pool B Championship game in a 1:30 p.m. contest on the main field at Prasco Park. Northwood advanced past Tiffin, 7-3, but trailed 3-0 for more than two-thirds of the game and needed a late bullpen collapse by the Dragons to stay on the winner's side of the bracket. If Hillsdale beats Northwood tomorrow, the Chargers would play for a spot in the G-MAC Championship game on Friday at 2 p.m. If the Timberwolves advance, Hillsdale would play at 7:15 p.m. Thursday against the winner of the Tiffin/Findlay contest in an elimination game.
Photo by Tiffany Treppa
