Game 1 box score: Hillsdale 6, Malone 3
Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 9, Malone 1 (5 inn.)
The Hillsdale College softball team got a couple of bonus home games Tuesday afternoon, and it took full advantage of the opportunity to keep its best start in 25 years going.
The Chargers ran their winning streak to five games in a sweep of Malone University, 6-3 and 9-1 in games played at Johnny Williams Field. These games were originally scheduled to be played in Canton, Ohio, but poor field conditions at Malone forced the switch to Hillsdale.
Sporting a record of 16-6 overall and 11-3 in the GLIAC, Hillsdale has put itself in strong contention for postseason play already. This also marks the first time the team has been 10 or more games over .500 at any point in a season in 14 years.
The opening game was a closely played one, with the much-improved Pioneers hanging close to the Chargers throughout. Malone outhit the Chargers 9-8, but Hillsdale took advantage of its scoring opportunities, especially late in the game, to hang on to the lead.
Senior Sarah Grunert tied a career-high with her ninth pitching victory of the season, going all seven innings with four strikeouts, two earned runs and just one walk allowed. Grunert has allowed just two earned runs in her last 22 innings pitched.
She helped herself out at the plate, hitting a solo home run in the first inning and finishing 2-for-4 with 3 RBI in the opener.
Junior Bekah Kastning extended her hitting streak to 15 games by going 2-for-3 in both ends of the doubleheader, slamming two doubles with 3 total runs batted in. She hit a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning that gave the Chargers some critical breathing room in the first game, increasing the team's lead to 6-2 from 4-2.
Freshman Katie Kish scored a run and picked up two singles in the game one win.
Game two was less dramatic, as Hillsdale plated four runs in the second and fourth innings to trigger the NCAA softball mercy rule after the completion of the fifth inning.
Senior Julia Kosco and junior Cassie Asselta both had run-scoring doubles in the game two win. Eight of the nine players in the batting order had at least one hit, with Kastning, Asselta and Kelsey Gockman sporting multi-hit games.
Senior Sarah Klopfer didn't allow an earned run in registering her seventh win of the season. She allowed no walks and struck out three batters.
UP NEXT: Hillsdale begins a six-game weekend Friday by taking on Ferris State University in Big Rapids.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kadie Lowery