Game 1 box score: Saginaw Valley State 3, Hillsdale 0
Game 2 box score: Grand Valley State 6, Hillsdale 3
The Charger softball team was eliminated from the 2016 GLIAC Tournament Friday afternoon, losing a first-round game to Saginaw Valley State 3-0, and the elimination game to Grand Valley State 6-3.
Hillsdale is 26-12 on the season.
In the opener against the Cardinals, the Charger bats went quiet, with the only hit coming from junior Bekah Kastning, who hit a double to left-center with one out in the seventh inning. Danielle Garceau drew a walk in the sixth, and was the team's first baserunner.
SVSU pushed across an unearned run in the first inning, and hit two solo home runs to account for its runs.
The Hillsdale bats got going in the second game, but were unable to match up with the Lakers, the tournament's No. 2 seed. GVSU outhit the Chargers 13-8 and never trailed in the contest.
Freshman Amanda Marra went 2-for-3 and scored two of the team's runs. Sophomore Haley Lawrence had a big day, going 1-for-2 with 3 RBI, including a double that got the Chargers on the board. Kastning was 1-for-4, and junior Cassie Asselta had a double and scored a run.
GVSU was upset by No. 7 seeded Findlay 5-0 in the opening round, creating the matchup with Hillsdale in the second round.
Despite the tournament result, 2016 was a year when Charger softball got noticed on a wide scale. Hillsdale's 26 wins were the most it's had in a season in 14 years, and its 19 GLIAC wins were the most in its history.
PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Brookhouse