Senior Drew Olsen gave up two runs over six innings Saturday. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department 

The baseball team won two and lost two to Malone University on April 13 and 14 in its four game home series. 

 “The weather was great and a lot of people showed up at the home stadium,” senior Joe Hardenbergh said. 

In their first game, the Chargers defeated Malone 3-1. 

Senior Tommy MacLean pitched the full game for the first time in five years. MacLean threw 104 pitches, giving up one run and five hits, walking three, and striking out four players.

“Tommy pitched really well,” Hardenbergh said. “That was great.”

MacLean said he owed his success to his defense.

“I am very grateful for my defense behind me as they played a clean game that allowed me to have the confidence to continue making pitches and getting outs throughout the game,” MacLean said. 

Senior Danny Passinault hit a pair of RBI singles, including one in the seventh that gave Hillsdale the lead. In the bottom of the eighth, senior Jeff Landis also hit an RBI double to pull further away from Malone.

In the Friday nightcap, Hillsdale lost to Malone 5-4. Hillsdale took the lead early on with a bases-loaded walk but failed to add enough runs to prevent Malone from tying the game in the sixth inning and pulling ahead in the top of the seventh.  

In the bottom of the seventh, Landis hit an RBI double and tied the game again, but Malone took the lead again in the 8th. The Chargers were unable to reclaim the lead. 

Senior Drew Olssen pitched six innings with three strikeouts and no walks, and senior Chad Stevens pitched in relief with one strikeout and one walk. 

On Sunday, Hillsdale once again beat Malone in a 12-8 victory, but lost 5-4 in the second game, splitting the weekend with Malone.

In the first game, Hillsdale initially fell behind 5-0, but then scored 12 runs in a row to win the game. 

In the bottom of the third inning, senior Jaekob Sallee hit a triple, freshman Rocco Tenuta hit a double, and freshman Will Millard hit a double. Junior Will Shannon hit a home run to left center and brought all three home.

Next, Landis hit a solo homer, Hardenbergh hit a two-run single, Shannon hit a three-run double, and Landis hit an RBI single.

Malone scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh but was unable to keep up. 

Senior Paul Brophy pitched six innings for the Chargers and junior Kolin Endres pitched for Hillsdale’s final inning.

In Sunday’s nightcap, Hillsdale lost 5-4. 

Landis hit an RBI single in the bottom of the first, but Malone responded with four runs in the second and third innings.

Shannon hit his second home run, Turner hit a bunt to score Sallee, and Sallee hit a solo home run bringing the game 5-4, but Hillsdale stopped there.

Junior Brandon Scott struck out six batters and walked one. Freshman Logan McLaughlin pitched in relief, striking out three and walking none.

“We would have liked to win one more, but we played really clean baseball this weekend,” senior Joe Hardenbergh said.

After their weekend series against Malone, Hillsdale is 14-21 overall and 9-11 in G-MAC games. The Chargers are behind Ohio Dominican (8-8 G-MAC) for the last spot in the G-MAC Tournament, but could close the gap in their last three conference series to make the playoffs. 

Hillsdale will play next on Tuesday night against Davenport beginning at 6 p.m at home.