The baseball team went winless in a three-game opening series on the road against the Lee University Vikings in Tennessee.

During Friday’s opening game, the Chargers climbed back from an 8-0 deficit with three runs in the fourth inning, getting them back in the game. Entering the ninth inning, the Chargers were down 14-4, but again closed the gap to 14-10 with six runs, including three-straight RBI singles from sophomore Rocco Tenuta and seniors Zak Kent and Augie Hutchison. 

Hutchison led the Chargers from the plate, going three for five with a triple, a solo home run and four RBIs.

“We had to adjust at the plate and get some guys into scoring position,” Hutchison said. “In the fourth inning, we got some guys on base and were able to capitalize to get a few runs on the board and in the ninth inning, the team’s approach was to do anything to get on base and let the next guy hit. It ultimately wasn’t enough, but I was proud of the guys for fighting until the last out.” 

The first game of the double-header on Saturday was a 10-0 shutout for Lee. The Chargers fell behind eight runs in the first three innings. Senior Brandon Scott took the loss for the Chargers, pitching four innings and striking out five batters. Relief appearances by sophomore Winston Delp and freshman Collin Lange held Lee from scoring for three innings. 

In the nightcap, the Chargers nearly recovered from a 7-1 deficit, but came up short with a 7-5 final score after the seven-inning game. Lee scored five runs in the fourth inning, widening the gap from a 2-1 to a 7-1 deficit. Hillsdale responded with four runs in the top of the fifth inning, including a two-out grand slam by Kent, bringing it to a 7-5 gap. 

“I was thankful for the guys before me grinding out at-bats to make it possible for me to come up in that situation,” Kent said. “It’s hard when you are losing big for the third straight game, but we kept fighting and I was able to put a good swing on the ball.”

Freshman Gaard Swensen added a triple after Kent’s grand slam, but the Chargers were unable to pull ahead in the seventh inning. 

“On Saturday I got my first collegiate hit and it was nice to get this out of the way, because earlier in the series their defense had made two diving catches against me,” Swensen said. “I was starting to get a little frustrated, but knew the hits would come if I kept putting good swings on the ball and sure enough, I was able to get a hold on one and drive it over the outfielder’s head to lead off the game.” 

Hillsdale will play University of Indianapolis and Lewis University in a weekend series Feb. 21-23 in Marion, Illinois.