Game 1 box score: HC 10, LSSU 3
Game 2 box score: HC 5, LSSU 4
For the fifth year in a row, the Hillsdale College softball team hosted Lake Superior State University at Johnny Williams Field.
The Saturday afternoon GLIAC doubleheader was originally scheduled to be played in Sault Ste. Marie But with snow still common in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Chargers decided to make the most out of the bonus home games. Hillsdale swept LSSU by scores of 10-3 and 5-4 under a sun-drenched day.
The wins improve Hillsdale to 13-13 overall and 4-4 in the GLIAC. The Chargers head north to Midland to face Northwood in a GLIAC doubleheader Sunday afternoon.
In game 1, the Chargers jumped on the Lakers right away, scoring three times in the first inning to take a quick early lead.
Junior Julia Kosco became the third Charger to hit her first career home run in the past week. Her solo shot in the sixth inning helped pad Hillsdale's big lead in the opener.
Junior Danielle Garceau and sophomore Bekah Kastning sparked the offense in game 1 with three hits apiece. Junior Sarah Klopfer had a hit and two runs batted in, while senior Melissa Felkey had a hit, an RBI and a run scored.
Freshman pitcher Danielle Stiene struck out 10 batters in picking up the win in the opener. She already has 109 strikeouts on the season, seventh-most in a single season in school history, and the most by any Hillsdale College pitcher in nine years.
Junior Sarah Grunert hammered a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning of game 2 to provide the winning margin in Hillsdale's 5-4 win over the Lakers. She now has five home runs on the season, leaving her one away from getting ranked in Hillsdale's single-season top 10 list.
Kastning banged out three more singles, giving her six hits on the day and increasing her batting average to .471 on the season.
Senior Kate Ardrey hit a two-run home run in the third inning, and finished the game with 3 RBI for the Chargers. Klopfer had a double, a run scored and a run batted in. Klopfer has driven in 12 runs over her past five games.