For the second night in a row, the Hillsdale College baseball team found itself in a hole after a slow start in a road contest at Grand Valley State University on Wednesday afternoon.
But the Chargers were determined to not let history repeat itself after a tough loss to Davenport on Tuesday, and overturned a five-run deficit after the first inning with 10 runs across three innings to pull away for a stunning 16-12 victory over the Lakers.
It's the first time Hillsdale's baseball team has won multiple games in a season against Grand Valley State since 1999. The two teams shared membership in the GLIAC from 1975 until 2017, when Hillsdale left to join the G-MAC.
Hillsdale got on the board first in the top of the first inning, as RBI singles by Zak Kent and Jaekob Sallee helped the Chargers take an early 2-0 lead. GVSU hit back in a big way in the bottom of the first inning, answering Hillsdale's early two runs by plating seven of their own on three hits, five walks and a Hillsdale error.
Facing a 7-2 deficit, and with memories of a 9-0 deficit after one inning the night before fresh in their minds, Hillsdale dug in and showed grit and determination, outscoring GVSU 14-5 over the next eight innings to take the victory. The Chargers started cutting into GVSU's lead in the top of the third inning thanks to back-to-back solo home runs by junior Will Shannon and senior Jeff Landis. Hillsdale trailed 8-4 entering the top of the fourth inning when the Chargers exploded for five runs to take a 9-8 lead, thanks to a two-run home run by junior Zak Kent, a two-run single by Sallee, and a RBI double by Rocco Tenuta.
GVSU answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to briefly pull back ahead, but Hillsdale went up for good in the top of the fifth as Shannon continued a monster day with a second home run to score two, and Tenuta added a RBI single to give the Chargers a 12-10 edge.
Hillsdale would add two critical insurance runs in the seventh inning, with Shannon hitting a RBI single for his third hit that drove in runs of the game, and two more in the top of the ninth on a two-run single by Tyler Turner. That was enough to keep GVSU at bay down the stretch, as the Lakers plated two runs to keep in striking distance but were unable to chase down the Chargers before the game ended.
Shannon had a career day at the plate, an impressive feat for a player who's already one of the most feared hitters in the Midwest Region. The junior first baseman went 5 for 6 for the first five-hit game of his career, with a double, two home runs and four RBIs. Tenuta, Sallee and Kent each chipped in three hit performances as well as the Chargers pounded out 20 hits in an impressive offensive display. Sallee added three RBIs and two stolen bases, Tenuta chipped in a double and two RBIs, and Kent finished with a home run and three RBIs as well. Danny Passinault added two hits and a stolen base for the Chargers, and Aaron Jasiak contributed two hits as well.
On the mound, junior Drew Erdei didn't get the start for Hillsdale, but he pitched a starter's workload to earn the win in relief for the Chargers, striking out five, walking two and giving up just two earned runs in five innings. Jasiak pitched the final two innings for the Chargers to earn his second save of the season, striking out three of the eight batters he faced and giving up just two hits and one earned run. Jacob Pallo was the starter for the Chargers, and Chad Stevens pitched an inning of relief as well.
Hillsdale is now 15-22 overall and will look to carry the momentum of this victory into a crucial weekend series for the Chargers' G-MAC Tournament hopes, as Hillsdale travels to Northwood for four games this Saturday and Sunday. The Chargers are currently on the outside looking in in the G-MAC Tournament race with 12 conference games remaining, and a strong showing against the Timberwolves could help Hillsdale make up ground heading into the decisive games over the following two weeks.
Photo by Steve George