A runner on first, two outs in the 7th, the game tied at three, junior Nolan Breymaier launched a triple into center field, putting the Chargers up one. Hillsdale held on for another half-inning, winning the second of a three-game series against Ohio Dominican University on Tuesday.
“That was playoff intensity baseball,” said head coach Eric Theisen.
Hillsdale (6-6) won three and lost three in the past week. They took two of a three-game series against Malone University (8-4) on Sunday and Monday. In the Ohio Dominican (5-5) series, the Chargers lost their first game on Tuesday, won the doubleheader, and lost Wednesday’s afternoon game.
“We’re getting there,” Theisen said. “We’re trying to get more consistent.”
Senior pitcher Matthew Reck took the mound for the opening game of the Malone series. He pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits and striking out six.
“That was huge,” Theisen said. “He set our bullpen up for the rest of a long road trip.”
Hillsdale won the game, 5-2.
The Chargers got four RBIs from four different players in the second Malone game – and they capitalized on Malone’s errors, scoring runs on both of them.
Malone pulled ahead early in the third game. Hillsdale matched them hit-for-hit; both teams ended up with nine, but couldn’t even the score. Malone won the game, 8-4.
Both Hillsdale’s games on Monday against Ohio Dominican were decided by one run. Both winning runs were scored in each game’s final inning.
The first game saw four lead changes.
Down three in the top of the 6th inning, the Chargers managed two runs off hits from sophomore Luke Ortel and senior Adam Ladzinski.
Sophomore pitcher Chris McDonald, who started the game, gave up one run in the bottom of the 6th, but made it out of the inning otherwise clean.
Senior Nolan Nunez hit Hillsdale’s game-tying run, scoring freshman Jake Lee. Hillsdale went on to load the bases, but, with two outs, Ortel grounded out to second, ending the inning.
Theisen sent in Hillsdale’s closer, junior Dan Pochmara, for the bottom of the 7th.
Pochmara got one out. But then Ohio Dominican’s Anthony Raschilla hit a walk-off homer, and Hillsdale lost, 6-5.
The doubleheader was equally intense. Hillsdale scored three runs in the 3rd to put the score at 3-2. Ohio Dominican chipped a single up the middle in the 6th, tying the game at three.
Then Breymaier hit his triple, scoring what would prove to be the game-winning run. It wasn’t over yet, however.
With two outs in the bottom of the 7th, Pochmara again found himself facing Raschilla. But this time he got the strikeout and the Chargers got the win.
“There were a lot of emotions going around,” Theisen said. “It was fun to come out on top the second game. Games like that are why you play the game.”
Of the final Ohio Dominican game, Theisen said, “They just played better than we did.” The Chargers lost that game, 9-1.
Hillsdale plays a three-game series at home this weekend against Ashland University.
