Facing very little live pitching, then having to play in the visual dynamics of a dome, the Hillsdale College softball team struggled to develop much offense in its first doubleheader of the season, played Monday morning outside Chicago.
The Chargers dropped a pair of games to Illinois-Springfield by scores of 5-1 and 2-1. Hillsdale, 0-2 on the season, will next play under the warm Florida sun this weekend.
The Prarie Stars have already played 11 games this season, several of which were played inside the indoor facility in Rosemont, Illinois, giving the home team an inherent environmental advantage. UIS held Hillsdale to just three hits in the opener, coming off the bats of Bekah Kastning, Danielle Garceau and Jessica Day. Garceau's sixth-inning single scored freshman Jessica Taylor for the Chargers' only run in the opener.
In game two, freshman pitcher Danielle Steine made her collegiate debut on the mound and was impressive, allowing just two hits with 13 strikeouts in taking the frustrating loss. Hillsdale outhit UIS 7-2 and didn't commit an error in the game.
Kastning, the team's sophomore starting center fielder, went 2-for-3, while junior outfielder Ainsley Ellison piled up three hits and stole two bases for Hillsdale. Day drove in a run with a bunt single in the bottom of the fifth inning.