Schedule
Hillsdale College (26-17, 12-4 G-MAC) at Ursuline (0-31, 0-16 GMAC) | 12 p.m. ET Sunday, April 23 | Ursuline Softball Field – Pepper Pike, Ohio
Hillsdale College (26-17, 12-4 G-MAC) at Ursuline (0-31, 0-16 GMAC) | 2 p.m. ET Sunday, April 23 | Ursuline Softball Field – Pepper Pike, Ohio
Hillsdale College (26-17, 12-4 G-MAC) at Lake Erie (8-24, 3-13 GMAC) | 3 p.m. ET Monday, April 24 | Diamond 9 – Painesville, Ohio
Hillsdale College (26-17, 12-4 G-MAC) at Lake Erie (8-24, 3-13 GMAC) | 5 p.m. ET Monday, April 24 | Diamond 9 – Painesville, Ohio
Links
Hillsdale Roster | Lake Erie Roster | Ursuline Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Lake Erie Stats | Ursuline Stats | Live Stats and Video Links
Outlook
A 4-2 week kept the Hillsdale College softball team in the hunt for the G-MAC title with just two weekends left, but at 12-4 the Chargers have ground to make up, and that means two road sweeps this weekend are crucial to staying in a position to challenge for the crown.
The Chargers head to the Cleveland area for two doubleheaders, starting with a trip to Pepper Pike, Ohio to take on the Ursuline Arrows on Sunday. It's been a challenging season for Ursuline, who is 0-31 entering this weekend, but the Arrows have hung tough with a couple of the top teams in the G-MAC this year and are unlikely to go down without a fight.
As their record indicates, Ursuline has struggled at the plate in 2023, hitting .166, the worst mark in the G-MAC. Junior Jovanna Herrera has been a bright spot for the Arrows offense, hitting a team high four doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs, while senior Kristin Kopp leads Ursuline in batting average with .238.
On the mound, Ursuline has cycled through eight pitchers without much success, posting a 6.96 staff ERA that ranks 12th in the G-MAC. The Arrows' two top pitchers so far this season are Tara Backherms, who has a 5.05 ERA, and Danielle Hoffman, who has a 6.40 ERA. Both Kelsey Jakosh (6.07 ERA) and Kendall Smith (14.76 ERA) have double-digit appearances on the season and are frequently deployed out of the bullpen as well for Ursuline.
The following day, the Chargers play a doubleheader at Lake Erie Lake Erie. The Storm have had a tough year overall, currently sitting in 11th in the G-MAC, but Lake Erie does have some bite – they've given title contenders Ohio Dominican and Findlay a scare and taken a game off of a tough Northwood team this year.
The Storm have been in close games against good teams because of a tough pitching staff. Senior Grace Hammer has been an impressive ace throughout the season, with 130 strikeouts, a 2.74 ERA and four shutouts in 16 appearances. She gives Lake Erie a chance in any game, regardless of the opponent. Fellow senior Carly Rowland is the second game starter for the Storm, and sophomore Emma Spahr and junior Bridget Mullholland also have seen action in the circle.
Lake Erie, however, has struggled at the plate, hitting just .210, the 12th best mark in the league. Catcher Jasmine Gonzalez is the team's best hitter, batting .273 with seven extra base hits and a team-high 13 RBIs. Sophomore CJ Garcia is the Storm's only regular, hitting .317 with 10 extra base hits and six RBIs.
As Hillsdale looks for a title-worthy finish to 2023, everything starts with an excellent pitching staff that gives the Chargers a chance in every game. Hillsdale's 1.87 staff ERA ranks second among G-MAC teams, behind only preseason favorite Trevecca Nazarene. Hillsdale has gotten great pitching from sophomore Joni Russell, whose 13-5 record includes a G-MAC best 0.76 ERA and a conference-leading 188 strikeouts. Russell set the program record for strikeouts in a single game with 19 against Malone on April 8, and at her current strikeout pace, she has a real chance of challenging the single-season record of 216 set by Danielle Stiene in 2015. Hillsdale has an excellent #2 pitcher in Erin Kapteyn, an All-G-MAC player in 2022, who has a 10-6 record, a 1.94 ERA and threw the Chargers' first no-hitter since 2012 on March 11 against Queens (NY).
The challenge for Hillsdale as it looks to repeat as G-MAC regular season champions is getting the most out of a lineup with just two every-day regulars from the 2022 season back for 2023. Junior Hailey Holtman, one of the two, has become a key player, averaging .309 with 14 extra-base hits and 14 RBIs in the leadoff position. Sophomore Emma Vis is also having a breakout season, hitting .354 with 12 extra base hits and 17 RBIs, and junior Grace Wallner is hitting .302 with a team-high 25 RBIs as well. But as a team, the Chargers rank just ninth in the G-MAC with a .271 batting average, and more consistency up and down the lineup is necessary to turn close games into critical victories in a tight title race.