The Hillsdale College softball team faced its toughest day of competition yet in its Spring Break trip through Florida on Tuesday, and competed well against two strong foes, though it didn't result in a win.
The Chargers fell 10-5 to Southern Indiana, the 24th-ranked team in Division II, in the afternoon opener, before taking a 6-1 loss to a solid St. Cloud State team in the nightcap.
Hillsdale gave Southern Indiana a real fight in the first game, striking first with a two-run home run by Jenna Cantalupo in the top of the first to take an early lead.
A rough top of the second inning that saw an early error lead to five unearned Eagle runs put the Chargers behind the eight-ball in the contest, but Hillsdale refused to go away, and another home run, this time a three-run shot by Carlin M. Gannon in the bottom of the fourth inning, cut USI's lead to 7-5.
Ultimately, however, Hillsdale couldn't muster enough offense to overtake the Eagles, getting outhit 12 to 5 in the loss.
Elaine Townley added a double for the Chargers against USI, and Sam Catron and Sydney San Juan each chipped in a single.
Julia Mullins got the start and took the loss for the Chargers, pitching an inning and two-thirds, and Erin Gordon was solid in relief for Hillsdale, pitching five and a third innings with one strikeout and one walk while conceding 10 hits and three earned runs.
In the nightcap, St. Cloud State outhit Hillsdale just 7-4, but got five of their six RBIs off of two big hits in a 6-1 Huskies victory.
Jasmin Estrada drove in all six of SCSU's runs, with a two-run double in the third and a three-run home run in the fifth giving the Huskies their margin of victory.
Hillsdale got a run back in the sixth when Madison Stoner hit a single to score Renee Bielawa, but otherwise struggled to find a rhythm at the plate in the loss.
Julia Sayles took the loss for Hillsdale, pitching four innings and conceding three walks, six hits and three earned runs, and Dana Weidinger pitched two innings of relief as well for the Chargers.
Hillsdale (3-13) has another tough test on Wednesday, as they return to Daytona Beach to travel to the campus of Embry-Riddle to take on the host Eagles in a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m.
The Chargers will wrap up their participation in The Spring Games on Thursday with contests against Minnesota St. Mankato, and Pitt-Johnstown, but will remain in Florida through the weekend, playing doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday against southern Florida schools Barry and Lynn.
Photo: Camryn Olson