The Hillsdale College softball team brought home a regular-season conference trophy in dramatic fashion for the first time since 1993 this past weekend.
Along with that huge achievement, one of the Chargers' own received additional recognition from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference today as well.
Freshman pitcher Joni Russell was named G-MAC Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday, in recognition of a stellar performance in three contests against two of the league's top three offenses this past weekend. It's the second weekly conference award Russell has earned this season.
Russell pitched a combined 10.1 innings in Hillsdale's sweep of Findlay on Saturday, going all seven innings in a 10-2 complete game victory over the Oilers, with three strikeouts and one walk, and coming back for three and a third innings of relief in a 5-4 win over Findlay that clinched the G-MAC title, striking out five, walking four and giving up just one earned run.
Perhaps Russell's most impressive start of the weekend came in a 3-0 loss to Ohio Dominican on Friday. The freshman threw five scoreless innings and gave up just four hits to one of the strongest lineups in the G-MAC, striking out 10 batters and walking just one in the contest in an impressive performance that gave the Chargers a chance. If not for an error to lead off the sixth inning that led to two Panther runs, Russell's numbers from that game would be even more impressive.
The freshman from Cable, Ohio has been extremely impressive for the Chargers to start her career, coming in as the team's ace from the first weekend of the season and posting a 14-7 record with two saves in 26 appearances to help lead the Chargers to their first regular season title as a G-MAC member and the team's first outright regular season conference crown since 1991.
Russell's 145 strikeouts so far this season are the sixth-most in a single campaign by a Charger in program history, along with a 2.20 ERA and four shutouts. Her presence on the mound is one of the reasons Hillsdale enters this weekend's G-MAC Tournament at Findlay as the top seed, and sits atop the list of contenders for the title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The Chargers have a first round bye in the tourney, starting on Thursday, and will begin their run at 12:30 p.m. that day against the winner of an opening round contest between fourth-seeded Trevecca Nazarene and fifth-seeded Tiffin.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan