The Hillsdale College baseball team battled back from an early deficit to force extra innings on Friday, but ultimately fell to visiting Tiffin 7-6 in the 10th in the first of a four-game set against the Dragons.
Hillsdale fell behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning and trailed throughout the game, facing a 6-3 deficit after six innings. Despite being down, the Chargers rallied impressively in the final three frames, with junior
Aaron Jasiak hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to 6-5, and
Gaard Swenson laying down a clutch RBI double in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 6-all.
Swenson's double scored
Billy Porotsky for the tying run, after Porotsky led off with a double. Hillsdale had runners at second and third with one out in the bottom of the ninth and a chance to walk off, but were unable to convert. Tiffin seized the initiative back in the top of the 10th, scoring the international tiebreak runner on a sacrifice fly to pull back ahead, 7-6, and the Chargers went down in order in the bottom of the 10th to seal the Dragons victory.
Hillsdale was behind until the 9th but kept the game close.
Will Lehman hit a RBI single in the bottom of the first to get a run back for the Chargers, and after Tiffin scored two more runs in the top of the second,
Ryan Wiehe hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to close the gap again for Hillsdale.
Wiehe was 2 for 5 with that home run to lead the Chargers at the plate, and
Jake Figman finished with two hits as well, while
Rocco Tenuta added a triple. Hillsdale also turned two double plays defensively.
Closer
Josh Novak (1-3) took the loss for the Chargers, giving up the unearned run in the 10th in his only inning of work.
Brenden Smith got the start for the Chargers, going an inning and a third, while
Winston Delp pitched four and two-thirds innings of very effective relief, striking out six and walking none, and
Drew Law pitched three scoreless innings of one hit ball as well for Hillsdale to help the Chargers get to extra innings.
Hillsdale is now 18-24 overall, 12-13 in G-MAC play, and will play two contests against the Dragons tomorrow at 1 and 3:30 PM as the Chargers continue their series against their G-MAC rivals.
