Despite a heartbreaking defeat in the morning, the Hillsdale College baseball team rallied to eliminate Northwood at night and stay alive in the G-MAC Tournament with a 7-2 elimination game win at Prasco Park on Thursday.

The Chargers' reward will be another shot at the Findlay squad that put them in the elimination bracket with a 3-2 defeat on Thursday morning.

Seventh-seeded Hillsdale had the lead on third-seeded Findlay in their first game of the day and control of the contest thanks to a brilliant game by starter Logan McLaughlin, who pitched six and two-thirds scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and two walks to keep one of the best teams in the G-MAC off-balance.

The Chargers also went scoreless for six innings in a pitcher's duel but pulled ahead in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of a costly error by the Oilers to load the bases and bringing Will Lehman home on a bases-loaded walk by Tyler Sowers to score the go-ahead run.

Lehman added an insurance run to Hillsdale's lead with a double to right field in the top of the eighth that scored Rocco Tenuta to put Hillsdale up 2-0 and six outs away from pulling a second-straight shocking upset.

It wasn't meant to be, as the Oilers strung together two two-out hits in the bottom of the eighth, a RBI single and a two-run home run, to pull ahead 3-2 late. 

Hillsdale got a baserunner on in the top of the ninth but couldn't tie up the game as Findlay held on for the win.

Tenuta was 2 for 5 at the plate to lead the Chargers offensively, and Aaron Jasiak added a double to Lehman's RBI double as well.

Hayden Hoffpauir (2-1) took the loss in relief of McLaughlin for Hillsdale, striking out one and walking one in an inning and a third of work.

The loss meant Hillsdale had to play again on Thursday night in an elimination contest against sixth-seeded Northwood, who had advanced with a 3-2 victory in an early afternoon elimination game against second-seeded Walsh.

The Chargers fell behind 2-0 to the Timberwolves in the bottom of the second inning, but turned the tables and seized control of the game for good with an explosive six-run third inning. Hillsdale led off the top of the third with back-to-back singles by Will Lehman and Nolan Coppens, who scored on RBI singles from Jake Figman and Tyler Sowers to tie up the game at 2-2.

After a sacrifice bunt got both Figman and Sowers in scoring position, Aaron Jasiak struck the critical blow for Chargers with a two-run single through the left side to give Hillsdale a lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Chargers tacked on two more runs in the inning with a bases-loaded walk by Will Lehman and a bases-loaded hit by pitch from Coppens as the Chargers batted around in the third.

Now holding a 6-2 lead, Hillsdale kept Northwood off the scoreboard the rest of the way with solid defense, turning three double plays behind starter Brendan Smith. Lehman added an insurance run in the top of the eighth on a RBI single as Hillsdale cruised to the win and ended the Timberwolves' season.

Lehman was 3 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs to continue his strong G-MAC Tournament performance, and Gaard Swenson went 2 for 4 with a double as well.

Smith (4-5) had an excellent start for the Chargers, pitching eight innings with three strikeouts and two walks and just two runs conceded in the second inning. Winston Delp finished the game on the mound for the Chargers, giving up no hits and striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.

Hillsdale advances to the Pool A final against Findlay, and will take on the Oilers in a rematch at 11 a.m. on Friday at Prasco Park looking to advance to the G-MAC Tourney final. Because of their win over the Chargers on Thursday morning, Findlay only has to beat Hillsdale once to advance to the G-MAC Championship series, while Hillsdale must beat the Oilers twice in back-to-back games on Friday to make the final.