Another dominant start by sophomore pitcher Joni Russell helped the Hillsdale softball team take the first half of Sunday's doubleheader against visiting Walsh, but a lack of offensive punch and a few too many errors in the second game forced the Chargers to settle for a split against the Cavaliers.
Russell pitched a second-consecutive shutout in conference play in a 2-0 win in Game 1, striking out seven, scattering four hits and only allowing five total baserunners.
The Chargers did just enough offensively to get the win behind Russell, as freshman Emma Sather paid off Taylor Lewis' leadoff single with a RBI single to score Lewis for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the second inning. Grace Wallner added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to score Emma Vis to give Hillsdale its 2-0 edge, while Hannah Hoverman also added a double.
With a two run lead, Russell retired six of the seven batters she faced in the final two innings to secure her 10th win of the season.
In the nightcap, Walsh took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of an error that got runners in scoring position to plate two of those three runs. Wallner hit a two-run double in the bottom of the inning to cut Walsh's lead to 3-2, but Hillsdale was unable to cash in a baserunner in each of the next three ininngs, while the Cavaliers took advantage of another Hillsdale error to add an insurance run in the fifth, and another one on a home run in the top of the seventh to secure a 5-2 victory.
Erin Kapteyn took the loss for Hillsdale, pitching all seven innings and striking out four and walking five. Hailey Holtman went 2 for 3 with two doubles to lead Hillsdale at the plate, along with Wallner's double in the contest.
Hillsdale is now 19-14 overall, 6-2 in G-MAC and has six days to its next doubleheader, at home against Malone on Saturday, April 8.
Photo by Isabella Sheehan