Schedule
Ohio Dominican (28-14, 17-1 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (28-17, 16-1 G-MAC) | 1 P.M. ET Friday, April 29 | Hillsdale, MI – Johnny Williams Field
Ohio Dominican (28-14, 17-1 G-MAC) at Hillsdale College (28-17, 16-1 G-MAC) | 3 P.M. ET Friday, April 29 | Hillsdale, MI – Johnny Williams Field
Hillsdale College (28-17, 16-1 G-MAC) at Findlay (32-10, 16-2 G-MAC) | 1 P.M. ET Saturday, April 30 | Findlay, Ohio – Marathon Diamonds
Hillsdale College (28-17, 16-1 G-MAC) at Findlay (32-10, 16-2 G-MAC) | 3 P.M. ET Saturday, April 30 | Findlay, Ohio – Marathon Diamonds
Links
Hillsdale Roster | ODU Roster | Findlay Roster | Malone Roster | Hillsdale Stats | ODU Stats | Findlay Stats | Malone Stats | Live Stats and Video Links
Outlook
It all comes down to this weekend for the Hillsdale College softball team.
The Chargers are right in the mix for their first regular season conference title since 1993, sitting at 16-1 overall – and with doubleheaders on tap against G-MAC leader Ohio Dominican (17-1) and fellow contender Findlay (16-2) this Friday and Saturday. A 4-0 or 3-1 record in those four games will put Hillsdale in position to claim at minimum a share of the title, and a top two seed and first round bye in next week's G-MAC Tournament.
It's going to be a tough challenge against the two strongest opponents the G-MAC has to offer this year by far. Hillsdale opens the gauntlet with its final home doubleheader of the season at home on Friday at 1 p.m. against current G-MAC leader Ohio Dominican.
On paper, the Panthers and Chargers are extremely close, with Hillsdale holding a slight edge offensively, batting .362 to ODU's .321 in G-MAC play, while the Panthers have an advantage on the mound, with a 1.02 staff ERA against G-MAC opponents to the Chargers' 2.14.
ODU boasts a potent lineup led by junior infielder Braxton Downs, who's hitting .375 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs and 40 RBIs, and senior infielder Erika Case, who's hitting .271 with nine doubles, six home runs and 24 RBIs. Sophomore Alexis Stevens also is having a strong year with a .343 average, 14 extra-base hits, and 30 RBIs as well, and the Panthers boast five lineup regulars hitting over .300 for the season.
The real key to ODU's success this season has been excellent pitching. Senior Sydney Long, one of the top pitchers in the G-MAC throughout her career, has been stellar in 2022, putting up a 14-5 record in 20 starts with a 1.65 ERA and 112 strikeouts. Juniors Addison Smodilla and Olivia Rettke have been solid as well, each with an ERA under 3 and 14 combined victories.
The Chargers hit the road following their doubleheader with ODU to take on a Findlay squad that's close to setting a program record for wins with 32 this season.
The Oilers have leaned on a prolific offense that's hitting .324 at the plate all season long. Sophomore Avery Shepherd has been a breakout star, hitting .385 with 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 29 RBIs, but Megan Demler, Lexie Hilling, Caroline Turner, Devyn Zuro, Brooke Radermacher and Olivia Carlton are all hitting north of .300 with double-digit extra base hits and 20+ RBIs as well for one of the most potent lineups in the conference.
On the mound, Demler has posted a 15-3 record in 19 starts with 146 strikeouts and a 2.37 ERA, while Hilling has been a quality second starter with a 9-5 record and a 3.53 ERA. Freshman Emma Jones has a 3.20 ERA and gives Findlay a quality relief option if needed.
While both ODU and Findlay boast elite offenses, no team in the G-MAC has been hotter since conference play started than Hillsdale, which is hitting .362 in G-MAC contests. Senior catcher Madison Stoner is ranked in the top 10 all time at Hillsdale in hits, home runs and RBIs and has a .369 batting average, 11 doubles, three home runs and 30 RBIs. Senior utility player Madison Rathbun is also having a breakout season, hitting .379 so far with 12 doubles and a team-best 34 RBIs, while freshman outfielder Olivia Latimer has exploded recently and is now hitting .338 with 12 doubles, a triple and 16 RBIs.
Those three standouts are far from the full picture in what is a deep and dangerous lineup. Senior third baseman Townley leads the team in doubles with 15 and is hitting .338 with 23 RBIs, while junior first baseman Jenna Cantalupo is hitting .292 with four doubles, four home runs and 31 RBIs. Seniors Natalie Stepanenko and Kasidy Carson are both hitting north of .300 as well for the Chargers.
Now that Hillsdale has started to get the offense going, it can pair it with pitching that's been good enough so far to make the team a contender. Freshman Joni Russell has 13 victories in 17 starts with 127 strikeouts and a 2.23 ERA, giving the team a solid ace. As good as Russell has been, sophomore and No. 2 starter Erin Kapteyn has been right there with her in terms of effectiveness, with a 2.19 ERA, 80 strikeouts and an 11-2 record in 18 appearances. Senior Camryn Olson is a veteran presence as a starter and reliever for the Chargers as well, while freshmen Dani Deaton and Emma Vis have also impressed in relief.
Hillsdale has a long history with both Ohio Dominican and Findlay, and relevant recent history with the Panthers in particular. In 2019, the Chargers upset top-seeded ODU 4-1 in the opening round of the G-MAC Tourney on the way to the title as the eight-seed that season. In 2021, an ODU victory in the final game of the regular season cost the Chargers the regular-season G-MAC crown, but Hillsdale got their revenge in the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 extra-inning victory to end the Panthers' season. Friday's matchup should be another exciting chapter in what's developing into a rivalry with championship stakes between the two programs. The Chargers split with Findlay last year at home and have a 1-5 record against the Oilers since both squads joined the G-MAC for the 2018 season.