The Hillsdale College softball team went toe to toe with the current G-MAC leaders Ohio Dominican in a Wednesday afternoon showdown, grinding out a hard-fought split in two competitive, high level softball games.
The Chargers took the first game of the day 2-1 behind a dominant performance from ace Joni Russell, who held the top offensive team in the G-MAC to just two hits and one run in a commanding performance.
Russell struck out 12 batters in the victory, setting a new Hillsdale College record for strikeouts in a single season in the process, as her total of 224 surpasses the old mark of 216 set by Danielle Stiene in 2015.
With Russell cruising through six scoreless innings on the mound, Hillsdale finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning. Back-to-back singles by McKenna Eichholz and Anna Chellman got a runner in scoring position with no outs for the Chargers, and freshman Maggie Olaveson's fielder's choice pushed Eichholz to third and gave Hillsdale runners at the corners with two outs.
The game potentially hanging in the balance, the Chargers made a bold call for a first and third play. Olaveson went for a steal of second base, baiting the Panthers to try and throw her out to end the inning on the basepaths. Olaveson, however, beat the tag at second, and the throw allowed Eichholz to come home from third base to break the scoreless deadlock and give Hillsdale a 1-0 lead.
Jnior Hailey Holtman followed up the go-ahead score with a RBI single to score Olaveson with what would turn out to be a consequential run. Ohio Dominican attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring a run and manuevering the walk-off run into scoring position with two outs, but Russell came through, striking out the final batter to seal the victory.
Eichholz and Grace Wallner each went 2 for 3 to lead the Chargers at the plate as Hillsdale outhit ODU seven to two in the victory.
In the nightcap, Ohio Dominican got its revenge, 4-1 in another close contest. After falling behind early on a sacrifice fly for a run by the Panthers, Hillsdale once again created a run on the basepaths after back-to-back hits to open the top of the fourth inning. This time, Jenna Cantalupo was caught stealing for the Chargers, but in the process Emma Vis was able to get to home plate from third base for the tying run.
ODU, however, retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on a wild pitch, and then broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with two more runs to pull away. Hillsdale was able to get a runner in scoring position in the top of the fifth but couldn't drive her in to tie the game, and went down in order in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Erin Kapteyn took the loss for Hillsdale, striking out three, walking two and giving up seven hits in four and two-thirds innings of work, and Mackenzi Maxson finished the final inning and a third for the Chargers, giving up one hit and no runs.
Hailey Holtman went 2 for 3 at the plate to lead the Chargers and Emma Vis chipped in a double. Hillsdale had seven hits to ODU's eight in the loss but couldn't capitalize on their baserunners as effectively, and two Chargers errors also proved costly.
Hillsdale is now 31-18 overall, 17-5 in G-MAC play and is tied for second place with Trevecca Nazarene, two games back of Ohio Dominican, with one doubleheader remaining in the regular season. If Hillsdale and Trevecca Nazarene remain tied in the standings, the Chargers would be seeded ahead of the Trojans in the upcoming G-MAC Tournament, as Hillsdale's split with ODU gives them the tiebreaker over Trevecca, who was swept by the Panthers.
The Chargers finish out the regular season at home on Friday against Findlay, who is also looking to improve its seed in the upcoming G-MAC Tourney. Game time is set for 3 PM, and the doubleheader also will be Senior Day for Hillsdale, as the Chargers honor their lone graduating senior, first baseman Jenna Cantalupo, between games.