Sunday night had bled into Monday morning before the Hillsdale College baseball team defeated the Bellarmine Knights in the highest scoring game in Hillsdale baseball history, finishing a 3-1 weekend in Louisville, Kentucky.
The Chargers opened the weekend with a 6-3 loss against Bellarmine on Saturday before they topped the Alderson-Broaddus Battlers in games on Saturday night and early Sunday afternoon—13-4 and 8-5 respectively. The Chargers rounded out the weekend with an 11-inning affair that resulted in a 21-19 Hillsdale victory.
“We took care of business over the weekend,” senior third baseman Michael O’Sullivan said. “Being early in the season, we are still experimenting with lineups and positioning. To win three-of-four is a testament to the depth of our roster.”
The Chargers struck first in game one against Bellarmine, with an RBI coming from junior designated hitter Ethan Wiskur, who was named GLIAC North Hitter of the Week.
“It is nice to be recognized and I am proud to represent Hillsdale,” said Wiskur. “But with the hitters we have on the Charger team this season, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if several of us win the honor.”
Bellarmine, however, delivered three runs in the bottom half of the first inning. The Knights would never relinquish this lead, despite Hillsdale RBIs from O’Sullivan and senior first baseman Chris McDonald.
Hillsdale starter senior Jacob Gardner took the loss, pushing him to 1-1 on the season, after giving up five runs — two earned — on seven hits and four walks over six innings.
Through the early part of the season the Chargers have stressed the importance of learning to bounce back from tough losses. They wasted no time doing this, scoring in each of the first six innings during Saturday’s second game against Alderson-Broaddus. Eight different Chargers had hits and six recorded RBIs on the way to opening up a 13-4 lead after six innings.
Sophomore starter Will Kruse recorded the win after allowing four runs — three earned — over six innings, while striking out four. Sophomore Phil Carey, Wiskur, junior Joe Chasen, and McDonald combined to throw three shutout innings out of the bullpen, allowing only one hit.
Head coach Eric Theisen credited his team’s ability to recover from the first-game loss, something that has been a point of emphasis for the squad.
“We have bounced back multiple times already this year and we have only played seven games,” Theisen said. “You can see from our comeback in Georgia, and the way we rebounded from the loss this weekend, that this team doesn’t have any quit in them.”
Hillsdale didn’t lose any momentum over night, either. The Chargers jumped out to an early two-run lead in Sunday’s first game against Alderson-Broaddus, with RBIs coming from Wiskur and senior catcher Joe Gentile.
The Knights scored one run in the top of each of the fifth and sixth innings, knocking out senior starter Lucas Hamelink after 5 2/3 innings, in which he allowed two earned runs on five hits. Alderson-Broaddus scored two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 4-2 lead.
The Chargers responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to two passed balls and a grand slam from senior right fielder Connor Bartlett.
“I was just trying to get a good pitch to drive somewhere deep in the outfield and hopefully sneak a run in with a sacrifice fly,” Bartlett said. “Coach Theisen reminded me after the game that when I rounded third I yelled ‘crushed it’ to him, which he thought was funny.”
Senior Evan Chalker, senior captain Mitchell Gatt — who recorded the win — and Wiskur combined to allow three runs — two earned — in 2 2/3 innings before McDonald threw a perfect ninth to record his third save of the season.
The fourth and final game of the weekend, against Bellarmine, lasted 11 innings over 5 1/2 hours and resulted in a 21-19 run Charger victory, which is the highest scoring game in Hillsdale history.
“I swear we are playing the longest, most exciting games ever,” Theisen said. “You knew both teams were going to continue to score runs, and we had to be the ones to score the most.”
The scoring started early when Hillsdale plated three in the top of the first, and Bellarmine responded with nine of their own. Over the next few innings the Chargers mounted a comeback, and tied the game at 14-14 in the sixth inning, before four runs for each team in the seventh finished the regular-inning scoring.
O’Sullivan homered twice, and McDonald once, in the effort.
“I was in another world. I’m a little dude and so for me to hit a homerun pumps the team up like nothing else,” O’Sullivan said. “I’m usually the team bunter.”
Theisen attributed the scoring to the exhaustion felt by the pitching staffs on both sides.
“That’s just what 38 innings in a weekend will do to you,” Theisen said. “I don’t think there is a pitching staff on the planet that wouldn’t be worn down.”
After a scoreless 10th, Hillsdale scored three in the top of the 11th with RBIs coming from Wiskur, Bartlett, and freshman catcher Chris Ackerman.
McDonald took the mound in the bottom of the 11th, and was able to limit the Knights to one run on two hits to record his second save on the day and fourth of the season.
Freshman second baseman Kevin Monson did his part in sealing the victory, fielding a rocket ground ball and starting 4-6-3 double play to record the first two outs of the inning. The play came after the Knights had already scored one run in the inning.
“That ball was the hardest hit ball I’ve fielded in my life, but luckily it was hit right at me,” Monson said. “I knew at that stage of the game I just needed to get my body in front and make sure I got at least one out. Luckily for us we got two.”
Despite the long weekend, Thiesen said that the team was ecstatic after the victory, and emphasized the team’s ability to keep each other motivated and driven.
This weekend elevates the Chargers to 5-2 on the season. The team will look to continue its success this weekend when it travels to Owensboro, Kentucky, for a doubleheader on Saturday against Kentucky Wesleyan, and a Sunday doubleheader against Urbana University.