Game 1 box score: Hillsdale 2, #20 Lenoir-Rhyne 1

Game 2 box score: Hillsdale 8, #8 West Chester 5

What a start!

The Hillsdale College softball team couldn't have asked for two better games than it played in Clearwater, Florida Friday afternoon, defeating two teams ranked in the Division II top 20 as part of the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

In the opener, Dana Weidinger pitched a seven-strikeout gem in a 2-1 win over #20 Lenoir-Rhyne. In game two the bats came alive in an 8-5 victory over 8th-ranked West Chester.

The NFCA Leadoff Classic is a highly prestigious early season tournament that is invite-only. The Chargers, last year's G-MAC Tournament champions, earned that invite with their success last year. On Friday, they showed they belonged among the nation's best programs.

All the scoring in game one took place in the first 2 1/2 innings. Weidnger, a junior pitcher, was magnificent in her 2019 debut, going all seven innings with seven strikeouts and just four hits allowed. She held Lenoir-Rhyne's three through nine hitters to 0-for-18 batting in the game.

Hillsdale grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning off a sacrifice fly by Madison Stoner, scoring Amanda Marra.

The game-winning run was produced by freshman Morgan Cox with her one-out groundout to shortstop that brought home Natalie Walters. Hillsdale outhit Lenoir-Rhyne 8-4 in the ballgame.

In Friday afternoon's 8-5 win over the Golden Rams, the Chargers had 15 hits, scoring at least once in the first six innings of the game.

Walters was a force in the second game, picking up the win after getting the start at pitcher. At the plate, she slammed a solo home run in the fourth inning, the first round-tripper of the season for the team.

Senior Katie Kish went 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored and 3 runs batted in while also a steal of home plate. Marra was 2-for-5 with a run batted in while freshman Elaine Townley had a terrific collegiate debut, going 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Junior Sydney San Juan had a big game going 3-for-1 with a run batted in and a run scored.

Freshman Camryn Olson closed out the game with 2 2/3 innings pitched, and she contributed a double to the team's productive offensive day.