The Hillsdale College softball team is 20-3 over the last month, turning itself into a legitimate contender for the G-MAC regular season crown with two weeks left to play.
A big step forward offensively has been key for the Chargers in recent weeks, and senior catcher Madison Stoner is leading the charge. The Hunker, Pennsylvania native earned G-MAC Softball Position Player of the Week honors this afternoon from the conference office after putting on a show in a 5-0 stretch for Hillsdale. It's her first G-MAC weekly honor of the season and the second in her career.
Stoner hit .688 across all five of Hillsdale's victories last week, finishing with at least one hit in every single contest and going a perfect 7 for 7 at the plate in a doubleheader sweep of Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday. The senior added four doubles, six RBIs and four runs scored, and also drew three walks to post a .736 on-base percentage.
A four-year starter and five year contributor for Hillsdale, Stoner continues to build off a standout 2021 season in her final campaign as a Charger. In 2022, the senior is hitting .390 with a career-high 11 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs. Those 30 RBIs are tied for the team lead and fourth among all G-MAC players, while her 11 doubles rank fourth in the G-MAC as well. Stoner also boasts the team's best OBP (.455) and best slugging percentage (.559).
The senior also is moving into the company of all-time greats for her career at Hillsdale College. Her 180 hits rank eighth all-time in program history, her 13 home runs are tied for 10th and her 112 RBIs are fifth. Stoner also is fourth all-time in walks with 60, and needs just two more doubles to break into the top 10 all-time in that stat as well, with at least 10 more games remaining in her career, and possibly more depending on how deep into the postseason the Chargers can go.
Stoner and Hillsdale look to lock up a G-MAC Tournament berth and move one step closer to what would be the program's first regular season conference title since 1993 this weekend, as the Chargers travel to Ashland for a doubleheader on Saturday, then host Ursuline on Sunday. The games against Ursuline also are Senior Day for Hillsdale, meaning Stoner and her fellow seniors will be honored during the contest for their careers at Hillsdale.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan