Hillsdale Charger baseball gather for 2025-26 season team picture
Courtesy | Hillsdale Athletic Department

After an appearance in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference semifinals last season, the Hillsdale baseball team is projected to finish third in the G-MAC North Division, according to the preseason coaches poll, and will start its season with three-game series against the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama, Jan. 30, 31, and Feb. 1.

Last season, the team finished with a 17–15 regular season record in the G-MAC and is returning with the majority of the starting team from last season.

“We have a unique mix of youth and experience,” head coach Tom Vessella said. “We’re returning seven starters, and they’re all just juniors and sophomores, so it bodes well for the future. I’m excited about where we are in the program.”

Vessella said the team’s experience playing together will be helpful in the upcoming season. 

“They’re a close-knit group, and I think they come together as a team really well,” Vessella said. “Especially with the freshmen this year, it was a seamless transition for bringing everybody in and showing them what to do.”

According to Vessella, the fact that many of the starters got regular time as freshmen has helped with welcoming this year’s freshman class to the team.

“A handful of our freshmen are going to contribute right away, and that’s just a testament to what our returners have done to get them up to speed,” Vessella said.

Sophomore pitcher Luke Miller said he is confident that this year’s team can improve from last year.

“I think we’re going to have a really good pitching staff this year,” Miller said. “It’s good to see some of the young guys developing, and we’ve got some guys back from injury who haven’t pitched in a while. I think we’re going to put a lot of different pieces together to shape out a really good team this year.”

Both Miller and sophomore pitcher Josh Novak made appearances in 2024 before redshirting the 2025 season with injuries.

“I’m looking forward to pitching, because I haven’t pitched in two years,” Novak said. “I’m also looking forward to everybody who was previously injured getting to play.”

Vessella said he is looking forward to the team’s opening series.

“It’ll be a really good test for us,” Vessella said. “When our team hits our stride, we could be really dangerous.”