The Hillsdale Chargers baseball team went 3-6 over spring break, playing Emporia State University, Maryville University, Saginaw Valley State University, and Malone University. The Chargers won their first game against Emporia University and two of their four games against Malone.
According to associate head coach Ryan Van Amburg, freshman Gaard Swenson had two RBIs and six runs during the week of competition. Swenson secured the March 7 win against Emporia State with a walk-off homerun at the bottom of the ninth inning. He also had a double during the March 12 home opener and brought in the first run on an RBI single by senior Zak Kent. Van Amburg said Swenson and the other 14 freshmen have been acclimating to the team well.
“Gaard Swenson had a strong week at the plate, showing great consistency with hard contact,” Van Amburg said. “The freshmen integrated quickly, especially given the large number we brought in this year. Now that we’re deep into the season, they all know what to expect and what it takes to succeed, so we no longer think of them as freshmen.”
Kent put up a total of eight RBIs and two runs during the week, proving his importance as a senior player, according to Van Amburg.
“Zak Kent has been a key contributor, coming through in big moments and driving in a lot of RBIs when we needed them,” Van Amburg said.
Kent said that the week of games did not go as well as expected, but that the team will be able to learn from these games and carry that experience into the rest of the season.
“This weekend I played in all four games at Malone and was able to put some good swings on balls,” Kent said. “I was blessed with many runners on base, so naturally when I see an RBI opportunity, I get excited and try my best to take it.”
Sophomore Jake Pallo pitched eight innings throughout this week, striking out four batters. Senior Brandon Scott pitched 14 innings, six of which were against Malone University on March 15 in a 10-0 shutout win for the Chargers.
“On the mound, Jake Pallo and Brandon Scott both delivered excellent performances,” Van Amburg said. “Pallo pitched in multiple games, allowing just one run, while Brandon Scott threw a dominant shutout against Malone to secure a win.”
Also pitching for the Chargers this week was sophomore Winston Delp. He pitched as relief in four innings this past week, including two innings as relief for Scott during the March 15 win against Malone. Delp had two strikeouts and allowed no walks or hits during his time on the mound.
“In Game four against Malone, my focus was twofold: first, closing out Brandon Scott’s stellar start after he threw six scoreless innings, and second, keeping them off the board so we could run-rule Malone, wrap things up an inning early, and beat the incoming rainstorm back to Hillsdale,” Delp said.
According to Van Amburg, other outstanding performances from the week included sophomore Rocco Tenuta hitting a crucial home run and double as well as consistently getting on base.
“It’s been a tough year with injuries and illness so far, but our players have been focused on taking care of their bodies, prioritizing recovery and treatment,” Van Amburg said. “Freshmen like Tyler Sowers, Will Lehman, and Gaard Swenson have stepped up, playing every day and proving they can handle the intensity of the season despite being newcomers, and Zak Kent and Rocco Tenuta, as returning players, have consistently produced and been reliable contributors for us each day.”
The Chargers will travel to Columbus to play Ohio Dominican University in a four-game series this coming weekend, March 22 and 23, then will return home for a four-game series March 29 and 30.
