Hilligoss doing whatever it takes to win

It was around the 15th game when Mitch Hilligoss became aware that he had a hitting streak.

"I figured it's going to end sometime, so it's not a big deal," the Charleston RiverDogs third baseman said.

And while it finally came to end in Savannah on Sunday, Hilligoss' streak became a very big deal — lasting 38 games to break the South Atlantic League record and become the longest streak recorded in minor league baseball in the past 20 years.

"This will probably mean more to me in a couple of years after I've had some time in the game," he said Monday, a day after an 0-for-4 performance against Savannah. "Maybe it was about time for it to end. It's something that works on you over time. I was starting to think about it over the last week and my at-bats weren't as good. But, you don't want to change anything at the time, so now it's time to get back in the batting cage and start working to get back to where I was."

Hilligoss' matter-of-fact approach to the game has been a major factor in his ability to string together so many productive games.

Throughout the season, Mitch Hilligoss has found a way of getting on base whether he's gotten a hit or not. In the nine games in which he has appeared and not gotten a hit, he has gotten on base

with a walk six times, scored four runs and driven in two.

One of the games occured during his 38-game hitting streak, but it didn't count against him because he had no official at-bat. On April 17, the day before his streak began, he entered the game late because two teammates left with injuries, and he struck out in his only plate appearance. The only full game in which he was less than productive at the plate was on April 15 against Augusta when was 0-for-4 without a walk, didn't advance a baserunner and grounded into a double play.

"It was always team-driven, and I think that's why good things seem to happen to him," RiverDogs manager Torre Tyson said. "Throughout the whole prcess, it was amazing to me at how much a team player he was. On a 3-0 pitch early in the game (Sunday), I have him the green light (to swing) and he didn't even load up. He just took his walk.

"(The streak) was fun to watch. It was something really cool to be a part of."

Even though Hilligoss seemed to make a habit of getting a hit in his first or second at-bat, the streak was not without its dramatic moments.

Tyson admitted that there were a few game situations that would have normally called for a sacrifice bunt but elected to let Hilligoss swing away because he still needed his hit. "But then, he's hitting .330 so why not," he said.

He missed three games from May 9-11 with a respiratory infection when the streak was at 18, but he recovered well enough to go a combined 10-for-18 with four straight multi-hit games when he returned.

"That was when the whole team was getting sick," he said. "They actually held me out a little longer. They wanted me to have an extra day to get ready. I was refreshed and ready to go when I got back."

On May 19 against Rome, he left the field without a hit, but both teams' coaches agreed that a scoring change should be made on a bad-hop grounder to the shortstop that originally was scored an error. The put the mark at 26.

"Tys told me before I left that they were going to try to get that changed. I told them it's up to you guys, I've got no control over that. I appreciated that they did it," he said. "It was (hard) at the time because you think about it and feel you could've hit the ball harder."

Even though it was an individual achievement, there was no question whether he had the support of his teammates, especially on May 29 when he was trying to tie the SAL record. He had no hits when the team's final at-bat came up, but he was due to bat fifth so he needed help to get to one more chance. His teammates came through, and he hit a two-run double to earn a share of the record.

"The team's been great about it. I can't talk about how awesome they were that night," he said.