The Hillsdale College softball team kicked off the 2023 season in Tennessee at the Tusculum Round Robin, dropping two heartbreakers late against host Tusculum and Lees-McRae in its first day of action.
The Chargers battled host Tusculum to a 0-0 tie in the first seven innings of the first contest of the day, forcing extra innings. Hillsdale opened the top of the eighth by scoring the international tiebreaker runner placed on second base at the start of the inning, freshman Emma Sather, on a single by sophomore Olivia Latimer to take a 1-0 lead and put pressure on the Pioneers.
But Tusculum responded in the bottom of the eighth, getting their first three batters on base and scoring the international tiebreaker runner on second base to tie the game. With the bases loaded and no outs, a sacrifice fly to centerfield was sufficient for the Pioneers to walk off and take a 2-1 victory.
Sophomore Joni Russell pitched a shutout through seven innings to give Hillsdale a chance, striking out eight and giving up just two hits before being relieved in the eighth. Sophomore Emma Vis finished the game and took the loss for the Chargers.
Offensively, Hillsdale outhit Tusculum 7-5 but stranded eight batters. The Chargers got a runner into scoring position in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings but couldn't scratch the go-ahead run across the plate. Senior Jenna Cantalupo had a solid game for the Chargers with two hits, one a double to lead off the fourth inning, and the second a single to get Latimer to third base in the sixth inning. Latimer added two hits and a stolen base as well, and Kay Suganuma also finished with two hits and a stolen base.
In the nightcap, Hillsdale fell to Lees-McRae 8-2. The game was a close 3-2 game entering the seventh and final inning, but the Bobcats exploded for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
Lees-McRae jumped out to a 3-0 lead early, but the Chargers took advantage of two errors by the Bobcats in the bottom of the fourth inning. A fielding error allowed Grace Wallner to reach first base safely, scoring Hailey Holtman from third in the process, and a throwing error by Lees-McRae on a base-stealing attempt by Wallner during the next at-bat to allow Taylor Lewis to score as well.
Hillsdale had more chances to take the lead over the next two innings, but couldn't string hits together, and the Bobcats took advantage in the top of the seventh, blowing the game open and pulling away.
In her freshman debut, Lewis went 3 for 3 at the plate with two doubles to lead the Chargers offensively, and fellow freshman Janie West added a double as well for Hillsdale.
Junior Erin Kapteyn started and took the loss for Hillsdale, going four innings with four strikeouts and one walk while conceding one earned run. Vis and freshman Mackenzi Maxson also pitched in relief for the Chargers.
Hillsdale (0-2) will look to bounce back tomorrow with another shot at both the Pioneers and Bobcats in back-to-back fashion, beginning at noon.
Photo Courtesy of Tusculum Athletics