The Hillsdale College baseball team's lineup has put up solid numbers at the plate so far in 2020.
But in their first home doubleheader of the season on Wednesday, the Chargers found a new level offensively to sweep visiting Wisconsin-Parkside, 12-3 and 11-1, and take their first series win of the season.
Hillsdale's batters pounded out 27 hits in the doubleheader, including 16 in a dominant performance in Game 1.
Tied 3-3 with the Rangers after two innings, Hillsdale's Joe Hardenbergh led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run, the spark for a four-run inning for the Chargers.
Hillsdale tacked on five runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away and snap a three-game losing streak.
Hardenbergh went 3 of 4 at the plate for the Chargers in the win, one of six Hillsdale players with multiple hits in Game 1.
Cooper Peterson finished 2 of 3 with a solo home run of his own as well, Nick Stepke added two singles and three RBIs, and Danny Passinault, Cody Kanclerz and Rob Zurawski each chipped in two hits as well.
James Krick was 1 for 4 at the plate but drove in three runs, including a two-run single where Peterson also scored on an error in the first inning.
Andrew Verbrugge got the start and pitched one inning before giving way to Marc Bergeron, who struck out two and walked two while giving up one hit and one earned run to earn the win in relief.
Dillon Manion got a save for Chargers, pitching three-and-two thirds innings without conceding a run and striking out four.
In the second game, Hillsdale jumped on Parkside early, taking advantage of multiple Ranger errors in the first inning to score seven runs and take a commanding lead it never relinquished.
Zurawski was 3 for 4 at the plate with a double to lead the Chargers, Jeff Landis was 2 for 3 with a RBI double and Aiden Brewer chipped in a two-run single and a solo home run, the Chargers' third of the day as well.
Krick chipped in a triple and drove a run in at the plate as well for the Chargers.
With an eye toward trying not to overwork its staff ahead of a big GMAC weekend series against Malone, Hillsdale used six different pitchers in the contest.
But despite the short work, the Charger staff dominated, combining to scatter four hits, concede no earned runs and strike out 12 while walking just one batter in the seven-inning contest.
Drew Olssen was the only pitcher to go multiple innings for the Chargers in Game 2, and also earned the win, his first of the season.
With the win, Hillsdale improves to 5-9 on the season and is riding a wave of momentum heading into a four-game weekend series against Malone at home to open GMAC play, coming off of three straight solid efforts.
The Chargers will open up against the Pioneers on Saturday at 1 p.m. looking to get off to a good start against a team considered to be in the upper echelon in the GMAC entering the 2020 season.
Photo: Gwen Buchhop