Game 1 box score: Hillsdale 6, Ohio Dominican 0
Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 6, Ohio Dominican 1
Talk about a turnaround!
After scoring just one run in a pair of losses at Ursuline Friday, the Charger softball team bounced back in impressive fashion, sweeping first-place Ohio Dominican University in Columbus Saturday afternoon by scores of 6-0 and 6-1.
The wins clinched a Great Midwest Athletic Tournament berth for Hillsdale, who is now 18-14 overall and 12-8 in conference play.
When a team is going through a scoring drought like the Chargers were, they find themselves in need of a spark, one play that can act as a turning point. Cut to a big hit by sophomore outfielder Victoria Addis early in game one.
Addis belted a solo home run to center to open the top of the second inning to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. That hit ended up being contagious for the team, who would go on to hit three home runs on the day.
Prior to Saturday, Hillsdale had hit four home runs all season as a team.
The Chargers added four more runs in the sixth inning to put the opener out of reach.
Hillsdale pitchers Dana Weidinger and Erin Hunt were terrific in recording the game one shutout. Weidinger picked up her fourth win of the season, while Hunt struck out four batters in 3 2/3 innings of relief work.
The Chargers outhit the Panthers 11-4, led by three hits from junior Katie Kish, who also scored once and drove in a run. Sophomore Sam Catron was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI, while Sydney San Juan and Madison Rathbun each had a hit and scored a run.
The momentum carried over into game two for Hillsdale, who scored in each of the first three innings to take a quick 4-0 lead.
Freshmen Natalie Walters and Rathbun each hit their first collegiate home runs in the nightcap. Walters' shot came in the second inning while Rathbun cleared the center field fence to open the seventh inning.
Senior Kelsey Gockman had a big game, slamming two doubles while going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Junior Jessica Taylor is having a huge year at the plate. Her 2-for-3 game in the nightcap raised her batting average to .397 for the season. Walters was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a run batted in, while Kish turned in another multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.
Hunt earned her 13th win of the season with a four inning relief appearance. She struck out five and walked one with no hits allowed, shutting down the vaunted Panther offense. Walters started on the mound and didn't allow an earned run in her 2 2/3 innings pitched.