The Hillsdale College baseball team made a spirited rally from a nine-run deficit, but couldn't battle all the way back in a 16-11 midweek loss on the road to Davenport on Wednesday.

Despite a two-run home run from Nolan Coppens in the top of the first inning, and another two runs in the top of the third, including on a RBI single from Tyler Turner, Hillsdale trailed 13-4 after three innings as the Panthers roared out to a massive early lead. Looking to avenge a loss to Hillsdale last week, Davenport held that advantage into the sixth, when Hillsdale started to rally on a two run double by Coppens and another RBI single by Turner.

Coppens closed Hillsdale to within 14-8 with a RBI single in the top of the seventh, and Hillsdale cut the gap to 14-11 with three more runs in the top of the eighth, on a two-run double by Gaard Swenson and a sacrifice fly by Rocco Tenuta.

Those runs gave Hillsdale a chance late, but Davenport got two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and turned a game-ending double play in the top of the ninth to seal the victory over the Chargers.

Although the early deficit proved insurmountable, Hillsdale had a strong offensive game at the plate, with nine different players recording a hit.

Coppens led the way for the Chargers, going 3 for 3 at the plate with two walks to reach in all five plate appearances, and finishing a triple short of the cycle with five RBIs. Swenson was 4 for 5 with a double, a triple and two RBIs, while Turner chipped in his two RBI singles and Aaron Jasiak and Carson Tucker each added two hits as well. Ryan Wiehe also finished with a double for the Chargers.

Drew Law took the loss for the Chargers, going one and two-thirds innings with two strikeouts and two walks. Nate Albanese was Hillsdale's most effective pitcher on the day, going three and a third innings with three strikeouts, one walk and just one earned run conceded, while Josh Novak also struck out two of the four batters he faced in a scoreless inning. Collin Tobin and Isaac Scavarda also pitched in relief for Hillsdale. 

Hillsdale is now 13-18 overall and has a critical conference series at Lake Erie this Saturday and Sunday, needing to take the series to get above .500 in G-MAC play entering the final three weeks of the regular season.