It wasn't a perfect senior day in terms of outcomes, but the G-MAC-leading Hillsdale College softball team did what it had to do to keep its conference regular season title hopes alive in a split with visiting Findlay on Saturday.
The Chargers took Game 1 over the Oilers 7-2 behind another excellent performance by senior Dana Weidinger in her final home start. The senior broke Hillsdale's career innings pitched record of 538.1 set by Sarah DeAngelo ('01) in today's victory, pitching a complete game with seven strikeouts, one walk, and two earned runs, to earn her 17th victory of the season.
Junior Renee Bielawa scored the Chargers' first two runs, on a home run in the bottom of the first inning and a RBI single in the bottom of the third, and after Findlay cut into Hillsdale's lead with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, senior Madison Stoner slammed the door with a two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bielawa and Stoner each went 2 for 4 at the plate for Hillsdale, which won its 28th game of the season, the most it's earned in a single season in 30 years. The last time the Chargers exceeded that mark was with a 40-win season in 1991.
In the nightcap, the Chargers never fully recovered from a six-run third inning that helped Findlay pull away for an 11-5 victory. Hillsdale used a three-run bottom of the fourth inning that included a RBI double by senior Emma Johnson in her final home appearance and a RBI single by freshman McKenna Eichholz to get back into the game. Senior Sam Catron, in her final home outing as well, brought the Chargers within 8-5 with a two-run home run, her 13th of the season, in the fifth inning.
But Findlay tacked on three more insurance runs in the sixth and seventh and the Chargers couldn't take advantage of a bases-loaded, no outs situation in the bottom of the sixth.
Camryn Olson took the loss on the mound for the Chargers, pitching three innings with one walk, and senior Julia Sayles, in her final home appearance, pitched four innings of relief with a strikeout and a walk.
Catron added a double to her home run and Eichholz went 2 for 2 with a double to lead the Chargers at the plate in the loss. Bielawa chipped in a double as well.
In between games, the Chargers honored a five-player class of graduating seniors: Weidinger, Catron, Johnson, Sayles and Sarah Wojcik, who were a part of two G-MAC Tournament championship teams and under whose leadership the Chargers are on a record-setting and title-contending pace as well.
Hillsdlae (28-14, 16-4 G-MAC) remains in first place by winning percentage over Trevecca Nazarene, but can't afford a loss in either game of a season-ending doubleheader in Columbus, Ohio tomorrow against Ohio Dominican if it wants to stay ahead of the Trojans. Victories in both games over the Panthers would secure the Chargers' first regular season title since 1993. The doubleheader begins at noon eastern time.
Photo by Kasidy Carson
