Schedule
#5 Hillsdale College (29-18, 17-7 G-MAC) vs #4 Findlay (35-12, 18-6 G-MAC) | 12 p.m. ET Wednesday, April 29 | Firestone Stadium – Akron, Ohio
Full Bracket Available at https://greatmidwestsports.com/tournaments/?id=254&path=softball
 
Links
Live stats & Video | Championship Central |  Hillsdale Roster | Hillsdale Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
 
Outlook
The regular season is in the books and postseason play begins for the Hillsdale College softball team, as they enter this week's G-MAC Tourney as the five seed and looking to win their second straight G-MAC Tourney title and third in four seasons.

Hillsdale opens on Wednesday with a first-round showdown with fourth-seeded Findlay, in what should be a high-scoring contest if past meetings and the two teams' statistics are any indication.

The Oilers have an offense capable of going toe-to-toe with Hillsdale, with the Chargers and Findlay both ranking in the top three in the G-MAC in virtually every offensive category. Senior and presumptive G-MAC Player of the Year Annika Bredel is a large part of that, as she sports a .441 average with 26 extra base hits, including 11 home runs, and 46 RBIs along with a conference-best 1.313 OPS. Findlay two more players with an OPS above 1.030, with juniors Anna Jones and Joslynne Frazier surpassing that mark. Seniors Alexys Antal and Jenna Poulson and sophomore Meghan Heinsman are putting up strong numbers at the plate as well for the Oilers.

In the circle, Findlay once again has a strong and deep pitching staff that allows it to play to matchups. The Oilers rotate three starters, with Antal the ace with an impressive 16-3 record, but freshman Kaylynn Carter has an identical 2.91 ERA to Antal and a 7-2 record as well. 2025 First-team All-G-MAC pitcher Kayla Dykin also has 12 starts, a 3.36 ERA and a 9-4 record also, while Kora Navarro, Sophie Retton and Taylor Post are all options out of the bullpen with ERAs under five and success this season.

While the Oilers pitching staff is solid, it struggled against the Chargers, giving up a combined 20 runs in a doubleheader on April 6. Findlay was still able to take both of those contests thanks to an excellent offensive performance, but the success Hillsdale had offensively should give the Chargers confidence in their ability to force a shootout in Wednesday's matchup.

Although this is the lowest seed the Chargers have had entering the G-MAC Tourney since 2019, Hillsdale was just four games back of champion Tiffin in the standings. Hillsdale's offense presents a frightening proposition for opponents if the Chargers can continue their record-setting pace.  In conference play, Hillsdale led the G-MAC in average (.369), hits (251), home runs (27), RBIs (169) and slugging percentage (.584) and ranked second in doubles (52) and on-base percentage (.424). On top of the damage the Chargers do with the bat in their hands, Hillsdale also is a terrifying team once it gets on base, with a G-MAC-leading 58 stolen bases in conference play, nearly double the number put up by the second-best team.

A deep lineup of dangerous bats is responsible for the offensive outburst. Eight of Hillsdale's every-day players are hitting .297 or better, and seven .310 or better, in a lineup that puts pressure on pitchers from top to bottom. Returning All-Region second baseman Taylor Lewis is on a tear, with a .383 average, 21 extra base hits, 33 RBIs and 16 stolen bases for the Chargers, while sophomore Miami (OH) transfer Nathalie Hagle bats .317 and with 20 extra-base hits and a team-best 45 RBIs. Maggie Olaveson (10 home runs, 37 RBIs) and Olivia Liguori (eight home runs, 29 RBIs) complete a murderer's row of power hitters for the Chargers in the 4-5-6 spots, while leadoff hitter Ronnie Craft has a 1.058 OPS, 32 stolen bases on the year and is batting .487 in conference play. Proving Hillsdale's offensive depth – nine different players have a home run for the Chargers this season, and nine different Chargers have stolen multiple bases.

Hillsdale's weakness has been in the circle, where the Chargers have been heavily rotating five pitchers. All five have shown flashes of brilliance but have struggled for consistency, and Hillsdale ranks ninth in the G-MAC with a 4.53 ERA. Senior Mackenzi Maxson has developed into a decent ace for the Chargers, holding the team's best ERA (3.75) and most strikeouts (68), and also earned G-MAC Pitcher of the Week honors after shutting out defending national runner-up Tampa in a 1-0 game earlier in the season. Freshman Katie Jonas, sophomores Grace Harris and Anistyn Foster, and junior Gracelynn Kelly have all had moments of dominance and are options in the circle for Hillsdale, with Jonas and Harris getting the lion's share of the work in the final three weeks of the season. With five pitchers, Hillsdale has options, but needs more consistency from its starters if the Chargers are going to go the distance again this week.

Hillsdale is 39-27 overall against Findlay but lost two high-scoring matchups on the road to the Oilers, 15-10 and 14-10, in their doubleheader meeting on April 6.

The other game on Hillsdale's side of the bracket is between top-seeded Tiffin and eighth-seeded Cedarville, with the winners advancing to meet on Thursday afternoon and the losers facing off in an elimination game on Thursday morning.

The top seeded Dragons claimed the regular season title with a walk-off win over Findlay on the last day of the season. Tiffin rode a dominant pitching staff that was nearly a full run better than the rest of the conference in ERA to the crown, with Ella Esterby and Lexi Key proving to be the most effective duo in the circle in the G-MAC, but don't sleep on the Dragons' offense, either. Tiffin finished just behind Findlay and Hillsdale in the G-MAC offensively with strong performances from defending G-MAC PoY Jessica Miller, Esterby and Tori McPherson at the plate as well.

Cedarville snuck into the G-MAC Tournament on the final day behind an impressive power offense that finished tied for second in doubles and put up 25 home runs. Likely G-MAC Freshman of the Year Anna Gorshak was the engine, with a 1.259 OPS, a G-MAC best 32 extra-base hits and 47 RBIs, with Brynley Rung also playing an important role. Maya Merrill had a solid year as the ace on the mound for the Yellow Jackets with a 4.08 ERA in 19 starts.

On the other side of the bracket, Ohio Dominican earned the two seed on the final day. The always dangerous Panthers, a perennial contender in the G-MAC, got across the finish line thanks to strong pitching performances from freshman Alyvia Lawrentz and veteran Emma Grau, posting the third-best ERA in the G-MAC. ODU's offense also caught fire and found its power late, with sophomore Avery Mueller and senior Olivia Congleton combining for 13 home runs and Erica Massey also playing a key role in the lineup.

ODU will face off against seventh-seeded Ursuline, who's making its first postseason trip since 2021 under former Hillsdale assistant Danielle L'Argent. The Arrows scrapped their way to the spot behind ace Macy Searles, who put up a 13-11 record and an impressive 2.55 ERA, as well as key offensive contributions from sisters Heidi and Holly Earl and veteran Casey Barton.

The third seed is Ashland, who outlasted Hillsdale in a pair of tight games for the Eagles' best finish since joining the G-MAC. Ashland pairs a dynamic offense headlined by veteran star Danielle Robbins and power hitter Delaney Maynard with a solid pitching staff led by workhorse Delaney Lis and breakout freshman Olivia Amstutz.

Ashland will play sixth-seeded Northwood, who had a strong finish to the season to return to the tourney. Senior standouts Ashley Ziel and Delanie Gale pair with an impressive freshman class to lead a strong Timberwolves offense, while junior Kamden Binney and sophomore Dalaney Gage have kept Northwood afloat in the circle with solid starting performances.

Hillsdale leads all active members in the G-MAC with four tournament titles, in 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2025. Ohio Dominican has two championships in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022, while Northwood claimed the 2024 crown. Tiffin, Ashland, Findlay, Ursuline and Cedarville are all looking for their first G-MAC Tourney title this week.