For the first time since joining the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2018, the Hillsdale College baseball team earned a repeat bid to the G-MAC Tourney in 2026..

And after another strong run in that tournament, the Chargers are hoping to build towards even bigger things in 2027.

Hillsdale was the seventh-seed in the G-MAC Tournament, but stunned second seed and G-MAC South Division champion Walsh 4-2 in the first round, took third-seeded Findlay to the wire in a narrow 3-2 loss, and ended sixth-seeded Northwood's season 7-2 in another upset. While Findlay ended Hillsdale's run in the Pool A final, it marked the second-straight season the Chargers went further than expected in the tourney thanks to upsets. Sophomores Will Lehman, who drove in four runs, and Brenden Smith, who was sensational on the mound in the win over the Timberwolves, were named to the G-MAC All-Tournament team.

The run capped a roller-coaster season for the Chargers that saw Hillsdale play not one, but two 15 inning games, setting and then matching the modern record for the longest baseball game in program history. Hillsdale exploded for seven runs in the top of the 15th inning to beat Montevallo 14-9 on the first day of the season, and took a tough 8-6 loss to Malone on March 21 in another 15 inning thriller.

Hillsdale finished the year with a 23-29 mark overall, and 15-16 in G-MAC play. Hillsdale played a tough schedule that included a four-game series with the top team in the Midwest Region and a top 10 team in the country, Grand Valley State, as well as a pair of midweeks against nationally ranked Wayne State and NCAA DII regional qualifier Davenport.

The Chargers got big wins when it mattered in conference play, taking three of four from Thomas More on the road to start the G-MAC season and winning three games against Tiffin to lock up their spot in the G-MAC Tourney in the second-to-last week of the campaign.

The breakout star for Hillsdale on the season was sophomore centerfielder Gaard Swenson, who earned first-team All-G-MAC honors and led the Chargers in batting average, total hits, runs scored, and OPS. Swenson's 77 hits on the season were the fourth-most by a Hillsdale player in a single campaign in program history, and his four triples rank fifth for a single season all-time. Junior Rocco Tenuta also had another strong season at third base, leading the Chargers in home runs and RBIs while moving into the top 10 all-time in Hillsdale history in career RBIs. Sophomore Jake Figman had a breakout campaign as well at the plate in his first season as a starter for the Chargers.

On the mound, Josh Novak emerged as a true closer for the Chargers in his third season after missing virtually all of his first two seasons with injury, finishing with six saves, tied for fourth-most for a single season in program history. Logan McLaughlin had a strong season as a starter for Hillsdale, leading Hillsdale's starters in ERA (3.56) and strikeouts (50), while Jacob Pallo won six games, the most by a Chargers starter since 2023, and Brenden Smith emerged as a solid starter for the Chargers as well. Patrick MacLean, a senior, finished his career strong on the mound for the Chargers with a 3.65 ERA  and five combined wins and saves on the season.

Hillsdale heads into the 2027 campaign looking to take the lessons learned and have a true breakout season next spring. Just two seniors -- Tyler Turner and MacLean -- graduate, with all nine of the Chargers' starters in the tournament set to return, along with three of their four tournament starters, and both of the team's top bullpen arms. Reinforcements are coming as well for Hillsdale, with past successful starters Daniel Higdon and Gibson Cary among several promising pitchers who were injured this year and who should make the Chargers even tougher on the mound in 2027. Hillsdale will look to contend with this group and try to capture their first title since 2018 next season.