The Collegian

Issue date: 4/16/09 Section: Sports

After losing two more conference games yesterday against Tiffin University, head coach Paul Noce has an approach to the home matchup against Saginaw Valley State University this weekend.

"If we do the right things, we can win."

The Charger baseball team lost two one-run games to Saginaw earlier this year, and they know that they need to eliminate their big mistakes if they want to start winning games.

"Baseball mistakes happen every game," said senior captain Jesse Smith. "Our mistakes are just way too big right now."

These errors led to losses Wednesday against Tiffin. After scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning to start the early game, the Hillsdale offense only produced two more runs throughout the final 13 innings of the day. They lost the first game 4-3, making it their seventh one-run loss this season. In the late game, they allowed eight runs in the seventh inning to break open another one-run contest.

Smith hit his second home run of the year to give the Chargers their only run of the game.

The Chargers started the weekend off on a good note, by winning one of their most complete performances of the year Friday night against Findlay University.

Senior pitcher Scott Monterastelli contributed another quality start, giving up only two hits over six innings to get the win. After getting inserted into the lineup minutes before the game, sophomore Clay Stephens went 3-for-3 in the DH spot to propel Hillsdale to a 6-1 victory.

The next day, Hillsdale lost two close games. Although sophomore Dan Rhodes held Findlay to two hits and only one earned run, the Chargers offense stalled in 2-1 loss. In the second game, they garnered 12 hits, but gave up a run in extra innings to lose 4-3. Junior Pat Krebs and freshman John Bonvillian both had four hits in the game.

Ashland University, ranked 12th in the nation, handed Hillsdale two more losses when they visited on Monday. In weather conditions which included 20-mph winds and persistent rain, the Eagles managed score 12 and 8 runs, respectively, in the double-header.

Once again, the Chargers gave up runs in bunches in the middle innings. The Eagles had innings of five runs scored in the first game and six runs scored in the second, which effectively broke each game open.

Bonvillian continued his recent hot streak by going 2-for-4 with three RBI in the second game.

Noce is hoping for a morale boost in the form of a few wins this weekend.

"We are really looking for some heroics to happen," he said. "Maybe someone will come through with the big hit that wins the game and get us going."

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