The Hillsdale College softball team stayed hot in an 18-7 win at Malone on Monday, tying the most runs scored in a single game by a Charger team during head coach Kyle Gross' four-year tenure in the victory.
The Chargers pounded out 21 hits, putting up six runs in both the fourth and seventh innnings and scoring 15 over the final four innings to pull away for the victory.
Hillsdale jumped out in front in the top of the first, with Madison Stoner hitting a RBI double and Jenna Cantalupo adding a two-run home run to give the Chargers an early 3-0 lead. The next two-and-a-half innings were scoreless for both teams, but as rainy conditions worsened, both teams took advantage at the plate in a wild fourth inning.
The Chargers scored six in the top of the fourth, thanks to an RBI single by Natalie Stepanenko and a RBI double by Elaine Townley, while Hillsdale also scored two runs on an error and a third on a passed ball as well. With a 9-0 lead, it looked like the Chargers had the game well in hand, but Malone answered back with six runs in the bottom of the fourth, taking advantage of five walks and a wild pitch by the Chargers.
While that inning got Malone back in the game, the Chargers kept on scoring to seize control for good. Hillsdale plated two runs in the top of the fifth, including a RBI double by Olivia Latimer, and another run in the top of the sixth on a RBI double by Madison Rathbun, to extend its lead.
The Chargers put the game away in the top of the seventh, thanks to six runs, starting with consecutive RBIs doubles by Latimer and Townley. Emma Vis pinch-hit and added a two-run home run, the first of her career, and Reagan Gensiejewski chipped in a RBI double as well.
Latimer went 4 for 4 with two doubles at the plate to lead the Chargers, and Stepanenko went 4 for 5 as well. Stoner and Townley each chipped in two doubles, while Hailey Holtman went 2 for 4 at the plate with a triple as well for the Chargers.
Joni Russell was perfect through three innings and finished with seven strikeouts and just two hits conceded, but as weather worsened and made pitching difficult for both teams, the Chargers went to reliever Dani Deaton (1-2), who pitched the final four innings with three strikeouts, two walks and just two earned runs for her first career win at the collegiate level.
Monday's game was originally supposed to be a doubleheader, but continually worsening weather forced the second game to be suspended shortly after starting. That game may be resumed at a later date depending on the ability of both teams to fit it into a packed calendar in the final three weeks of the season, but there are no concrete plans for resuming it at the moment.
Hillsdale is now 20-17 overall, 8-1 in G-MAC play and has a big doubleheader coming up on Friday against visiting Trevecca Nazarene, the defending G-MAC regular season champions. The Trojans are currently a game back of the Chargers and co-leaders Ohio Dominican and Findlay in the loss column, meaning Friday's contests could be critical in the outcome of the G-MAC title race.
Photo by Anthony Lupi