Schedule
Hillsdale College (3-6) vs Glenville St. (0-0) | 1 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 26 | Sue Morris Sports Complex – Glenville, WV
Hillsdale College (3-6) vs Shepherd (0-0) | 3 p.m. ET Friday, Feb. 26 | Sue Morris Sports Complex – Glenville, WV
Hillsdale College (3-6) vs Charleston (W.V.) (0-0) | 9 a.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 27 | Sue Morris Sports Complex – Glenville, WV
Hillsdale College (3-6) vs West Virginia St. (0-0) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, Feb. 27 | | Sue Morris Sports Complex – Glenville, WV
Hillsdale College (3-6) vs Glenville St. (0-0) | 11 a.m. ET Sunday, Feb. 28 | | Sue Morris Sports Complex – Glenville, WV
Links
Live Stats (Glenville Games Only) | Watch (Glenville Games Only)
Outlook
The Hillsdale College softball team went 2-3 at the Lewis Flyer Invitational last weekend, including a pair of close losses against two ranked teams, #20 Grand Valley St, and #25 Saginaw Valley St. After two weekends of battling mostly teams that are in the NFCA rankings, the Chargers now head to West Virginia for five games at Glenville State University looking to make the most of the lessons learned at North Georgia and the Rosemont Dome.
Games against host Glenville State on Friday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. book-end the weekend for the Chargers. Glenville State was 9-11 in the Covid-shortened season last year, going 1-3 against G-MAC schools Walsh, Cedarville, and Findlay.
At the plate, the Pioneers return top hitters Karra Smith (.302, 4 doubles, 1 home run), Peyton Werntz (.298, 5 doubles, 1 home run) and Mackenzie Martinelli (.293, 2 doubles, 1 triple, three home runs)
On the mound, Glenville St. loses top pitcher Tori Ward but does return an experienced starter in Celina Maberto (2-6, 4.85 ERA, 1.87 WHIP).
Hillsdale's other Friday opponent, Shepherd, went 4-6 in last year's abbreviated season, including a 5-4 win over Glenville St. Junior infielder Nicole Purtell led the team with a .469 batting average and seven extra-base hits in those 10 games and returns, as does senior Leann Brown (.375, 3 doubles, 7 RBI)
On the mound, all four pitchers who made starts for Shepherd last year return, led by sophomore Katie Laing, who posted a 2.27 ERA and a 2-2 record in 2020.
On Saturday, Hillsdale gets perhaps its biggest test of the weekend at 9 a.m. against a Charleston (WV) team that was 14-2 when the remainder of the 2020 season was cancelled. Junior Kendal Marshall (.458, 6 doubles, 8 RBIs) and redshirt freshman Emma Groe (.370, 6 home runs, 11 RBIs) both return to lead a strong Golden Eagles offense, while pitcher Danielle Bauer, 9-0 in nine starts with a 1.17 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP, is back as well for Charleston.
The second Saturday matchup has the Chargers taking on West Virginia St. at 1 p.m. The Yellow Jackets were 9-13 against a tough schedule in the abbreviated 2020 season, but historically have been one of the better teams in the Mountain East Conference.
Senior catcher Madison Rafuson (.375, .910 OPS) and senior infielder Emily Moore (.324, 4 home runs) lead an experienced West Virginia St. lineup, and Moore is also the team's top returning pitcher, going 6-2 with a 2.06 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 2020.
Hillsdale is just 3-6 on the year, but five of their losses have come to teams either ranked or receiving votes in the most recent NFCA poll, and the Chargers have been competitive in most contests. With current G-MAC Softball Pitcher of the Week Dana Weidinger on the mound, Hillsdale has a chance in every contest, as Weidinger is 3-2 with a 2.63 ERA and 14 strikeouts to seven walks.
To capitalize on their defensive and pitching strengths, the Chargers are looking to wake up their bats, which have struggled against strong pitching so far this year. Seniors Madison Rathbun (.300, .417 OBP), and Natalie Stepanenko (.292, .320 OBP, 3 doubles, four RBIs) and junior Renee Bielawa (.294, .316 OBP, six RBIs) lead the Hillsdale offense so far.