The showdown of G-MAC unbeatens on Thursday in Cedarville ended in a draw, as the Hillsdale College softball team split two tight, hard-fought games in a doubleheader.
The first contest lived up to its billing as a showdown of aces, as Hillsdale's Joni Russell and Cedarville Casey Bertke largely cruised through five scoreless innings with impressive play and strong defensive support.
With the game seeming like it would be decided by whichever team scored first, Hillsdale broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Emma Sather led off the inning with a single, and Hailey Holtman also reached on a throwing error by Cedarville for the Chargers. A sacrifice bunt by Emma Vis manuevered both runners into scoring position, and junior third baseman Grace Wallner delivered the decisive hit, with a single through the left side that scored Sather from third.
Senior first baseman Jenna Cantalupo added an insurance run on a fielder's choice in the next at bat to score Holtman. Now defending a two-run lead, Russell closed out the victory, allowing just one baserunner in the final two innings to finish off a complete game shutout for the Chargers. The sophomore struck out eight batters and gave up just three hits and allowed five total baserunners in the 2-0 Hillsdale victory.
The nightcap was another tight game, as Hillsdale fell behind 2-0 in the second inning but rallied to tie the contest late. Sather helped Hillsdale get a run back in the top of the third inning, leading off the inning with a single, stealing second base and advancing to third on a fly-out before scoring the Chargers' first run of the contest on a sacrifice fly by Emma Vis.
The Chargers tied the game up on a dramatic first-and-third play in the top of the sixth inning with two outs, as Ashley Strick stole second and attracted enough attention to allow teammate Hannah Hoverman to steal home at the same time.
That got the game back to 2-apiece with an inning and a half to play, but Hillsdale couldn't keep Cedarville in check, as the Yellow Jackets scored a go-ahead run on a double with two outs, and added an insurance run on a throwing error as well. Hillsdale was unable to rally again in the top of the seventh inning in a 4-2 defeat.
Jenna Cantalupo hit a double to lead the Chargers at the plate in the nightcap, while Erin Kapteyn took the loss, going six innings with two strikeouts and two walks, and three earned runs on just five hits conceded.
The Chargers are now 18-13 overall, 5-1 in the G-MAC, and still in a solid position in conference play heading back home on Sunday to host Walsh in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Johnny Williams Field.
Photo Courtesy of Tusculum Athletics