Game 1 box score - Wayne State 4, Hillsdale 1
Game 2 box score - Wayne State 10, Hillsdale 4
April 4, 2013 - The twice-delayed and much-anticipated home opener for the Hillsdale College softball team ended on a bad note Thursday afternoon, as the Chargers suffered losses by scores of 4-1 and 10-4 to visiting Wayne State University. Hillsdale falls to 3-12 overall and 2-6 in the GLIAC with the defeats.
The team will remain home this weekend, hosting Malone University at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by a twinbill with Ashland at noon Sunday.
Despite the two losses, there were numerous positive signs for this young team, starting with the pitching performance of sophomore Katie Ardrey in the first game. Ardrey allowed no earned runs while scattering six hits over seven innings of work. She also made a number of excellent plays in the field, displaying improved quickness and throwing accuracy.
In the opener, Hillsdale's only run came when senior Kate Hoop smashed a double down the left field line, bringing home sophomore Courtney Day to tie the game at 1 apiece in the second inning. The Warriors answered back with two rus in the top of the third to take the lead for good.
Freshman Ainsley Ellison led the Chargers with two hits in the first game.
In game two, the offense got cranked up for both teams, with batters making solid contact, particularly in the later innings.
Three players had two-hit games for the Chargers in the nightcap, led by Ardrey, who hit her first career home run, and later smacked an RBI double. Senior Taylor Schulty hammered a two-run home run as part of a three-run sixth inning for Hillsdale.
Freshman Sarah Grunert and senior Miriam McKay also had two hits each, both bouncing hard-hit balls off the fence during their at-bats.
The Warriors scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to break the game open.
Photo by Lyndsay LaCourse