The Hillsdale College softball team has been putting big numbers on the scoreboard this season.
As May approaches and the season nears its end, some of those numbers are starting to turn into record-setting ones.
The Chargers hit three home runs in a home sweep of Ohio Valley on Monday to bring their season total to 32, one better than the previous school record of 31 set in 2010.
Senior Madison Stoner provided the record setting home run in the bottom of the fourth inning of the second game, a three-run shot that gave the Chargers a 10-0 lead in what would eventually be an 11-0 victory over the Fighting Scots.
That home run was Stoner's seventh of the season, moving her into a five-way tie for seventh place in program history for home runs in a single season.
Two first-inning home runs helped the Chargers take an early lead. Senior Sam Catron hit her 12th of the year, a three-run shot of her own over the left field fence, and two batters later junior Renee Bielawa hit a two-run blast to put Hillsdale up 5-0.
The Chargers finished with 12 hits in the victory. Natalie Stepanenko, Stoner and Bielawa all were perfect at the plate in the win, with Bielawa adding a double to her home run, and Catron chipped in two hits as well.
Julia Sayles earned the win on the mound for the Chargers, her second of the season, pitching four innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts and no walks. Erin Kapteyn pitched an inning of relief, striking out the side with one walk, as well for Hillsdale.
The Chargers also took the first game, 6-1, over Ohio Valley. Catron had a double and a single in the first two innings that each scored a run, and senior Emma Johnson chipped in a RBI double as well and freshman Hailey Holtman added a two-run single that helped Hillsdale build a 5-0 lead early.
Ohio Valley was able to get a run back in the top of the third inning, but couldn't close the gap any further as the Chargers and starting pitcher Camryn Olson deftly manuevered out of multiple jams, stranding 10 Scots runners on base in the victory.
Olson pitched a complete game to earn her sixth win of the season, striking out four, walking five, and conceding just four hits in the victory.
Catron and Stepanenko each went 2 for 3 to lead Hillsdale at the plate, and Bielawa chipped in a double as well.
Hillsdale is now 27-13 overall and 15-3 in G-MAC play. With the victories today, the Chargers have put up the most wins in a season since 2002, when Hillsdale also won 27 games. A victory on Saturday in the Chargers' final home doubleheader of the season against Findlay would give Hillsdale its most wins in a season since 1991, when the Chargers went 40-5, won the GLIAC title and made the NCAA Division II Tournament.
Saturday is also senior day for the Chargers, who will honor its five soon-to-be graduates on the final home game of their careers.
Photo by Kasidy Carson