Game 1 box score: Ashland 3, Hillsdale 1
Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 10, Ashland 4
Two very different games were played at a frigid Johnny Williams Field Tuesday afternoon.
The Charger softball team split its GLIAC doubleheader with Ashland University, losing a low-scoring first game 3-1, a game in which Hillsdale had just five hits. In game two, Hillsdale's bats heated up to the tune of a 10-4 win over the Eagles.
Hillsdale is now 12-6 overall and 7-3 in the GLIAC.
Senior pitcher Sarah Grunert allowed no earned runs in the game one loss. She struck out three, but Ashland did a good job of taking advantage of two Hillsdale errors, scoring all three of its runs directly off those miscues. Freshman Katie Kish had a single and a run scored in the opener.
Game two was a completely different story, as Hillsdale achieved the rare feat of scoring at least one run in all seven innings. Four different players had multi-hit games, led by junior Bekah Kastning.
The team's starting center fielder, Kastning went 3-for-4 with a single, double and a solo home run that easily cleared the right field fence. In addition to her prowess with the bat, she made a spectacular diving catch to end the Ashland half of the sixth inning. Kastning also scored 2 runs for the Chargers in the win.
Sophomore Haley Lawrence had a double during her 2-for-3 day, scoring once and driving one in. Freshman Amanda Marra also contributed a double, going 2-for-4. Grunert was 2-for-4, also scoring once and driving in a run.
Senior pitcher Sarah Klopfer notched her fifth win of the season, going all seven innings with five strikeouts and no walks allowed.
UP NEXT: Hillsdale heads to west Michigan this weekend, facing Ferris State Saturday, followed by a doubleheader against Grand Valley State Sunday.
PHOTO CREDIT: Kadie Lowery