Game 1 box score: Hillsdale 9, Concordia-St. Paul 8
Game 2 Box Score: Hillsdale 6, Viterbo 2
The Hillsdale College softball team used the entire pitching staff to pull off wins against Concordia University St. Paul and Viterbo University Thursday in Clermont, Florida.
Starting the day early with an 8:00 am start against Concordia St. Paul, the Chargers came back from an early deficit to win on a walk-off single 9-8.
Freshman Dana Weidinger started on the mound for Hillsdale, but fell behind 3-0 in the top of the second inning and was relieved by Senior Kyra Rodi. In the bottom of the inning, freshman Sam Catron led-off with a single and was later scored by a single off the bat of senior Bekah Kastning, bringing the score to 3-1.
In the top of the third, the Golden Bears increased their lead to 5-1, however the Chargers responded in the bottom of the inning. Junior Kelsey Gockman drew a walk and advanced to third on a double from senior Cassie Asselta. Freshman Victoria Addis followed with an RBI single to score Gockman and Asselta scored on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 5-3. Junior Haley Lawrence and freshman Sydney San Juan each walked to load the bases for Kastning to push in another run with a single to right field, bringing Concordia's lead to 5-4.
Freshman Erin Gordon stepped to the mound in the top of the fourth, but the Golden Bears scored 2, bringing the score to 7-4. The Chargers tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the inning. Gockman doubled and was batted in by Asselta. Addis reached on an error, scoring sophomore Carly Gouge (pinch running for Asselta), and later scored on an RBI from Catron.
Weidinger returned to the circle, and Concordia went ahead 8-7 in the top of the fifth inning. The Chargers remained behind until the bottom of the sixth, when Lawrence doubled and was batted in by San Juan's single to right field.
Gockman led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double to left field. Asselta came through with the walk-off win with a single to center field that scored Gockman. Weidinger took the win for the Chargers.
The team turned around and defeated Viterbo University 6-2. Freshman Alexis Newby grabbed her first collegiate win on the mound, and freshman Erin Gordon picked up the save.
The Chargers jumped ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the first with RBIs from Gockman and freshman Shelby Sprouse and extended the lead to 3-0 in the third with an RBI from Lawrence.
Viterbo scored 2 in the top of the fourth inning, but Hillsdale responded with 3 of its own. Gordon led off with a single, stole second, and was scored by freshman Carlin McDonald-Gannon's double. San Juan reached on a bunt single, advancing McDonald-Gannon to third. Kastning came up with a sacrifice fly, scoring McDonald-Gannon, and Addis knocked in San Juan with a single for the final run of the game.
Hillsdale faces Slippery Rock University at 3:30pm and Bemidji State University at 6:00pm March 17 in Clermont, Florida.