SCHEDULE
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs St. Mary's (TX) (3-2) | 3 P.M. ET Friday, Feb. 11 | Portland Sports Complex – Portland, Texas
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Texas A&M International (1-5) | 5:30 P.M. ET Friday, Feb. 11 | Portland Sports Complex – Portland, Texas
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Texas A&M International (1-5) | 1:30 P.M. ET Saturday, Feb. 12 | Portland Sports Complex – Portland, Texas
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-1) | 4:00 P.M. ET Saturday, Feb. 12 | Portland Sports Complex – Portland, Texas
Hillsdale College (0-0) vs Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-1) | 11:00 A.M. ET Sunday, Feb. 13 | Portland Sports Complex – Portland, Texas
Links
Live stats (Kingsville Games Only) | Hillsdale Roster | St. Mary's (TX) Roster | Texas A&M Int'l Roster | Texas A&M-Kingsville Roster
Outlook
Coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, the Hillsdale College softball team kicks off the 2022 season with a trip to Texas to play three strong opponents from the DII powerhouse Lone Star Conference this weekend.
The Chargers kick off the tournament with a single game against St. Mary's (TX). A 21-23 team last year, the Rattlers got off to a strong start at the loaded Arkansas Tech Winter Invite last weekend, going 3-2 with an upset win over #20 Central Oklahoma.
St. Mary's has a solid offense led by returning All-LSC players Jayme Johns, who hit .400 last weekend with five RBIs, and Victoria Aldridge, who hit .389 as well. Freshman Mene'e Padilla is also off to a hot start, batting .375 in four contests and driving in four runs in the upset of UCO.
The Rattlers used three starting pitchers last weekend. Freshman Jadyn Abrego was the primary starter and, despite a 1-2 record, has the best underlying numbers, with a 2.19 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Junior Catalina Cavazos and freshman Savannah Youngblood are also solid performers who could be called upon to start.
After the game against St. Mary's, Hillsdale will play Texas A&M International in two games, one each on Friday and Saturday.
A 26-19 team last season, the Dust Devils had a tough opening weekend at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invite, going 1-5, but were competitive in the vast majority of games and pulled a 4-3 upset of #16 Southern Arkansas.
TAMIU returns two second-team All-LSC position players in junior catcher Briana Arredondo and junior outfielder/pitcher Darrian Smith, and junior shortstop Heather Ruiz has started the season on a tear, hitting .535 in last weekend's tourney. Freshman outfielder Sara Papizan also hit .357 last week with a team-leading three RBIs.
Smith is also the team's most frequently deployed starter, appearing in three games with a 4.38 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP last weekend. Victoria Gonzalez and Chelsea Salinas also started for the Dust Devils, who didn't throw defending LSC Freshman of the Year Erika Cortez opening weekend. If she's available, she would be the starter of choice for TAMIU.
The Chargers finish the weekend against host Texas A&M-Kingsville, which made the NCAA Tournament last season in the South Central Region and posted a 26-15 overall record. The Javelinas got off to a great start in 2022 with a 3-1 record at the Arkansas Tech Winter Invitational, including a 2-1 win over 25th-ranked Central Missouri.
At the plate, TAMUK returns three first-team All-LSC players, led by sophomore infielder Kayla Gonzales, who hit .538 with three home runs and eight RBIs last weekend, and senior outfielder Jory Cervantes, who hit .500 with a triple. Sophomore outfielder Natalie Rodriguez also is off to a hot start with a .538 average and six RBIs as well for the Javelinas, who have six players hitting .300 or above in their lineup.
On the mound, TAMUK has a deep lineup, with four different players making starts in four contests. First-team All-LSC pitcher Saidi Castillo leads the staff, but the Javelinas also got impressive starts from freshman Carissa De Los Santos, who pitched a complete game shutout against Southern Nazarene, and sophomore Beth Montes, who went the distance in TAMUK's upset win over Central Missouri.
The talented Chargers have plenty of firepower at the plate as well. Hillsdale returns three All-Region position players from a team that went 33-19 and reached the elimination bracket final of the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament last year. Catcher Madison Stoner led the team with a .467 batting average and 46 RBIs, while outfielders Natalie Stepanenko and Renee Bielawa also played critical roles offensively and will look to build off strong 2021 seasons in 2022.
On the mound, Hillsdale will have to replace ace Dana Weidinger, but returns senior pitcher Camryn Olson, who went 6-3 last season, as well as sophomore Erin Kapteyn. The Chargers also bring in three freshman pitchers who could see action early on as part of the starting rotation – Joni Russell, Emma Vis and Dani Deaton.