The Hillsdale College softball team's pitching staff has been dominant in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play this season, not giving up more than three earned runs in any of the 20 games they've played so far.
That dominance has been reflected in the conference's weekly awards, and this week was no different.
Junior Erin Kapteyn was named the G-MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday, the second-straight week she's received the award and the third time this season she's earned the recognition from the G-MAC. Combined with fellow Chargers starting pitcher Joni Russell, the pair have earned six G-MAC weekly awards, and have taken the G-MAC Pitcher of the Week award now for four weeks straight.
Kapteyn was clutch in two big performances for the Chargers this past week, giving up just two runs and one earned run in two critical victories that keep Hillsdale in the G-MAC title race entering the final weekend.
The junior held a tough Northwood squad to one run this past Wednesday in a must-win game for the Chargers, guiding Hillsdale to a 5-1 victory to split the doubleheader. Kapteyn struck out six batters and walked none in seven innings of work, scattering six hits in the victory. She came back on Sunday against Ursuline and picked up her 11th win of the season in a 12-1 victory over the Arrows, striking out two, walking one batter and giving up just one unearned run in a two hit performance.
While it didn't factor into the consideration for this week's award, Kapteyn also started against Lake Erie on Monday, shutting out the Storm over six innings in a 10-0 victory, with six strikeouts and a walk.
It's been a banner season for Kapteyn, a second-team All-G-MAC pitcher in 2022 who's been even better in her third season in the circle for the Chargers. The junior's 1.73 ERA is fourth-best in the G-MAC and the best of any game two starter in the conference, trailing only the top three aces in the G-MAC by a slim margin. She also ranks top 10 in the G-MAC in opponent batting average (.212), wins (12), runs allowed (35) and earned runs allowed (26), while her five shutouts this season are tied for the fourth most by a G-MAC pitcher.
She's played a huge role in Hillsdale's 1.73 staff ERA, the best in the G-MAC, and a 0.88 staff ERA in G-MAC contests.
Kapteyn and the Chargers are in the thick of the G-MAC title race for the third consecutive year at 14-4 in league play. Hillsdale controls its own destiny this weekend, as four wins in doubleheaders against Findlay and current G-MAC leader Ohio Dominican this weekend will guarantee the Chargers at least a share of a second-straight regular season title.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan