For the first time in the 2023 season, the Hillsdale College softball team is over .500, thanks to two big wins in the Spring Games down in Leesburg, Florida on Friday.
The Chargers hit a home run in each game and gave up a combined one run across 14 innings in a dominant day of pitching for Hillsdale.
The day started with a 3-1 victory over a solid Bentley squad. Hillsdale trailed 1-0 early after Bentley drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning, but after that, the Chargers ace Joni Russell shut down the Falcons, giving up just one hit and three total baserunners in the final six innings of the game.
At the plate, the Chargers tied up the contest in the top of the fourth, as sophomore Emma Vis led off the inning with a solo home run. Hillsdale took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning, as freshman Taylor Lewis hit a two-out single to score Vis for the go-ahead run. Lewis tacked on an insurance run in the same inning with some clever baserunning, going for a steal attempt with a runner at third. Bentley was able to record the out, but in the chaos, Grace Wallner stole home first to give the Chargers a 3-1 advantage. Russell finished off the victory, getting out of a jam with runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth with no damage, and retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Russell picked up her sixth win of the season in the victory, striking out four and walking two in a complete game effort while giving up just three hits and one earned run.
Vis and Jenna Cantalupo each went 2 for 3 to lead the Chargers at the plate.
In the afternoon game against Bloomsburg, junior pitcher Erin Kapteyn recorded her third shutout victory of the Florida trip for the Chargers, holding the Huskies scoreless in a 3-0 victory. Kapteyn struck out four and walked two in seven innings while scattering five hits without giving up a run to improve to 4-3 on the season.
With Bloomsburg's offense struggling to generate anything, freshman Maggie Olaveson gave the Chargers all the offense they needed in the bottom of the third inning, hitting the first home run of her young career to put Hillsdale up 1-0 in the contest. Lewis added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, hitting a double to left center that drove in Vis and Cantalupo to give the Chargers a three-run advantage.
Hillsdale had just five hits against the Huskies but made the most of their offensive output. Vis, Cantalupo and Wallner each added a hit for the Chargers in the victory.
With the two wins, Hillsdale is now 12-11 overall and once against seems to be hitting its stride on its annual Spring Break trip to Florida. The Chargers also got off to slow starts in 2021 and 2022, but got back above .500 down in the Sunshine State on the way to 30-plus win seasons in both campaigns. The hope is that 2023 is following the same trend for Hillsdale, who finishes its time in Florida tomorrow, Saturday, with contests against Le Moyne at 11 a.m. and Alliance at 1:30 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of Tusculum Athletics