The Hillsdale College baseball team dropped a four-game series against the University of Illinois Springfield over the weekend. The team now sits with a 4-4 record against non-conference opponents, but is looking to change that next weekend with its first G-MAC game against Ohio Dominican University.
“We just struggled to get ahead of the count over the weekend and their hitters did a good job of making us pay for that,” head coach Eric Theisen said. “It was a bit of a complicated weekend, but it was also kinda straightforward to be honest. We just didn’t play as well.”
After opening the season with a sweep over Maryville, the Chargers had high expectations going into their games against UIS, but between injuries and the talent UIS brings to the Midwest Region, Hillsdale had a lot to overcome.
“We played really, really well against Maryville, and we played pretty poorly against Springfield. I think our true nature lies somewhere in the middle,” Theisen said. “They’re a good team. They’re one of the top teams in the region and they’re in the GLVC so they’re a Midwest Region foe of ours.”
Friday, March 5 (Game 1): UIS, 11, Hillsdale, 2
Back-to-back singles by sophomore third baseman Cody Kanclerz and freshman DH Joe Hardenbergh, followed by a throwing error, put them on second and third when freshman first baseman Steven Strachan came up to bat in the top of the fourth. He hit a double for two RBI. This evened the score to 2-2, but the Prairie Stars answered with five runs in their next at-bat.
From there, UIS continued to chip away a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, and two more in the seventh.
“I think they were probably the best team in the region, and probably the best team we’re going to see until the regional,” senior left fielder Rob Zurawski said. “Obviously we didn’t come out and perform up to our standards, but it was difficult to hold that standard against a team like that.”
Saturday, March 6 (Game 2): UIS, 13, Hillsdale, 0
Hillsdale’s lineup struggled to get going the next day with three batters up and three batters down for the first four innings. Freshman right fielder Lewis Beals finally singled and stole second in the top of the fifth. Strachan singled, moving Beals into scoring position, but the UIS pitcher recovered quickly striking out the next three Chargers.
Saturday, March 6 (Game 3): UIS, 13, Hillsdale, 4
The Chargers seemed to come alive by the fifth inning with five hits to score three runs, narrowing the score to 4-10.
Freshman first baseman Jeff Landis singled before freshman shortstop Aiden Brewer homered for 2 RBI. Then freshman catcher Jaekob Sallee and sophomore third baseman Cody Kanclerz hit a pair singles to put runners on first and third when Zurawski came up to bat. He singled to left center to score Sallee.
“The consistency is what makes good players great. It’s been good to see it out of Brewer the last two weekends, and Landis as well,” Theisen said. “Both those guys have been doing a great job for our first two weeks. I think they’re very locked into the process. That’s one of the things that makes most of our guys what they are is that they’re not too shaken up by failure.”
The Prairie Stars came back with another run in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to end the seven-inning game with 13 runs total.
Sunday, March 7 (Game 4): UIS, 11, Hillsdale, 4
Both teams were at a standstill until the fourth when Beals singled and Brewer hit his second home run of the weekend for two RBI. Landis hit a double on the next at-bat, followed by another double by Hardenber who scored Landis. The Chargers had their first lead of the weekend heading into the bottom of the fourth.
The UIS lineup came back to score five runs against junior pitcher Sawyer Allen, and then six more in the fifth inning. Landis was the last to score from either team with a single-run homer in the top of the sixth.
“Allen threw well on Sunday for a few innings, and then ran into some tough waters. But prior to that he was going really strong,” Zurawski said. “Nick Stepke had a good game on Sunday too. He got an opportunity to play with some guys hurt and he had four really well hit balls. He had zero runs unfortunately, but he had a really good game.”
Up Next:
According to Theisen, Stepke’s opportunity seems to be one of many available to his players as his team’s depth is challenged by injury.
“We’ve got like seven or eight guys hurt right now. We’ve got guys playing hurt and guys who can’t play because they’re hurt,” Theisen said. “That’s where depth comes into play and where some other guys come in and get some opportunities.”
One of those players making the most of his opportunity is Sallee.
“We’ve got two catchers out which is never a position you want to be light in. Notably, Sallee has done a very good job,” Theisen said. “We’re asking a lot of him to catch that many innings. Our catchers normally wouldn’t catch all three or four games in a weekend, and he’ll have to do it again this weekend.”
The Chargers will have their home opener with a four-game series against Ohio Dominican University starting Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. Saturday’s game will begin at 11 a.m., and Sunday’s double header will start at noon.
“We’re excited to get going. We’ve been fired up for G-MAC play for a while,” Theisen said. “Last year we were getting ready to open up conference play when things got shut down. It’ll be fun to open up with ODU.”
