The baseball team hit the road for five games last week, defeating Grand Valley on April 17 and dropping three of four to Northwood University April 20-21.

This marked the Charger’s second victory over Grand Valley this season and the first time since 1999 that Hillsdale has twice defeated Grand Valley.

The Chargers started in a five-run deficit but scored 10 runs in the next three innings. 

Junior outfielder Zak Kent and senior catcher Jaekob Sallee hit RBI singles in the first inning, but Grand Valley responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the third inning, seniors  Will Shannon and Jeff Landis hit back-to-back home runs. Kent hit a two-run home run, Sallee hit a two-run single, and freshman Rocco Tenuta hit an RBI double.

Grand Valley scored two more runs in the fourth inning, but Shannon hit a two-run home run, and Tenuta hit an RBI single.

In the seventh inning, Shannon hit an RBI single, and freshman Tyler Turner hit a two-run single. Senior Danny Passinault contributed a stolen base and two hits. Aaron Jasiak also added two hits.

“Will had a great day,” Passinault said. “He scored a bunch and had a big game.”

Shannon made five hits out of six, a career record.

“I was seeing the ball really good that day,” Shannon said. “It always feels good to hit well. 

On April 20, the Chargers faced Northwood University, losing 6-3 and 7-3. 

In the first game, Shannon opened the game with a solo home run, Landis hit an RBI single, and Passinault hit another solo home run, but Northwood overtook them and won the game.

Junior Tommy MacLean pitched six innings, striking out two and walking two, and senior Devin Murray pitched the final two innings, striking out three and walking one.

In the second game, Passinault hit a double, freshmen Will Millard and Tyler Turner both hit RBI singles, and freshman Rocco Tenuta hit an RBI double.

Again, Northwood hit back hard and took the victory.

Senior Drew Olssen pitched four innings, striking out six and walking three. Freshman Logan McLaughlin pitched the final two innings with two strikeouts and one run.

On Sunday, the Chargers defeated Northwood 16-2 in the first game but lost 9-8 in the second.

In the first inning, Hillsdale made seven runs on three hits with three walks, Shannon’s RBI single, Senior Joe Hardenbergh’s two-run single, and freshman Will Millard’s two-run triple. 

In the second inning, Shannon hit a two-run home run, Tenuta hit an RBI double, Hardenbergh hit another RBI single, and Turner added a two-run single.

In the fourth inning, Sallee hit an RBI single, and Shannon hit a two-run home run.

Senior Paul Brophy pitched five innings, striking out one and walking none. Sophomore Patrick MacLean and Junior Kolin Endres both struck out two and had a walk in relief. 

In the second game, Hillsdale lost 8-9.

“The second game was a heartbreaker,” Shannon said. “We added four extra innings but couldn’t quite get it.”

Hillsdale and Northwood traded the lead back and forth for the better part of the game.

Passinault reached third in the top of the twelfth, and Shannon hit him home on a sacrifice fly, bringing the game to 8-6.

Northwood responded with two runs in the bottom of the twelfth and then hit one more run in the bottom of the 13th for a walk-off victory.

Hillsdale’s record is 16-25 overall, and 10-14 in G-MAC play. The Chargers are three games behind Ohio Dominican and Kentucky Wesleyan in competing for the final G-MAC Tournament spot. 

The Chargers play the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers in their final home series this weekend.