Schedule
Hillsdale College (20-15, 8-4 G-MAC) at Malone (19-8, 5-3 G-MAC) | 11 a.m. ET Saturday, April 11 | Mason Softball Complex – Canton, Ohio
Hillsdale College (20-15, 8-4 G-MAC) at Malone (19-8, 5-3 G-MAC) | 1 p.m. ET Saturday, April 11 | Mason Softball Complex – Canton, Ohio
Hillsdale College (20-15, 8-4 G-MAC) at Ohio Dominican (17-13, 8-0 G-MAC) | 2 p.m. ET Sunday, April 12 | Panther Field – Columbus, Ohio
Hillsdale College (20-15, 8-4 G-MAC) at Ohio Dominican (17-13, 8-0 G-MAC) | 4 p.m. ET Sunday, April 12 | Panther Field – Columbus, Ohio
 
Links
Live stats & Video | Hillsdale Roster | Malone Roster | ODU Roster | Hillsdale Stats | Malone Stats | ODU Stats | G-MAC Standings | G-MAC Stats
 
Outlook
The Hillsdale College softball team came back to earth this past weekend after a red-hot start to G-MAC play, suffering a pair of sweeps at the hands of G-MAC title contenders. Now, the Chargers look to bounce back and stay in the race with another tough road weekend looming.

Hillsdale opens on Saturday with a doubleheader against Malone. The Pioneers were the last team in the G-MAC Tourney field last year but have taken a notable step forward in 2026 and are very much in contention at 18-8 overall and 5-3 in G-MAC play so far.

The Pioneers have made the jump thanks to a formidable pitching staff that ranks second in the G-MAC in ERA at 2.69. An All-Conference pitcher in 2025, junior Mia Rose has continued to be a true ace and one of the G-MAC's best in 2026, with a 1.93 ERA, an 11-4 record and 89 strikeouts to 11 walks. Malone has found a true second starter to pair with her in freshman Summer McCaw, whose 2.05 ERA and 51 strikeouts to nine walks also ranks among the G-MAC leaders. The Pioneers have a solid third pitcher with starting experience to turn to if either of their top arms runs into trouble in sophomore Masyn Baker.

Malone also has been bolstered by a stronger offense that is hitting for more power and generating more runs than in recent years. Junior Sidney Conti is having a breakthrough season with a .359 average, while fellow veterans Malee Pireu, Amber Miller and Jessie Crookston are also contributing at higher levels than before. Mia Rose remains her own best supporter at the plate with a team-high 19 RBIs, while newcomers Morgan Cantrell and Masyn Baker also have been key contributors.

On Sunday, Hillsdale takes on the current G-MAC leader in Ohio Dominican, a team with an 8-0 record in league play so far. While ODU has yet to play a league foe sitting higher than seventh in the current standings, past pedigree suggests they should be doubted as a contender at your own peril.

ODU is another squad that's leaned heavily on top-notch pitching so far. Returning All-G-MAC honoree Emma Grau has continued to be strong, with a 3.30 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 18 appearances so far, and the Panthers have matched her with another top-notch starter in freshman Alyvia Lawrentz who has a 2.44 ERA as well and a team-leading 77 strikeouts. ODU has ridden their two starters almost exclusively this season, with only 3.1 innings pitched by pitchers other than Lawrentz and Grau.

Offensively, ODU has three big hitters in sophomore Avery Mueller, who leads the Panthers in batting average and RBIs, and veterans Erica Massey and Kendrick Sterling, who have solid averages and strong power numbers as well. Junior Addie Triplett and newcomer Reese Loveday are hitting above .320 as well for the Panthers, while senior Lilly Irvine and Halina Schulte are above .300. Overall, the Panthers are one of the top hitting teams in the G-MAC, ranking third behind Findlay and Hillsdale in batting average. ODU has speed as well, ranking second in the G-MAC in stolen bases with 40.

Despite a tough weekend, Hillsdale remains one of the top offenses in the G-MAC, and the Chargers present a frightening proposition for opponents if Hillsdale can continue its record-setting pace.  The Chargers lead the G-MAC in home runs (32), and rank second in average (.328), doubles (68), RBIs (199) and on-base percentage (.392), well ahead of third place in all of those categories. 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 62 stolen bases, 22 more than the second-best team.

A deep lineup of dangerous bats is responsible for the offensive outburst. All nine of Hillsdale's every-day players are hitting .282 or better, and five .327 or better, in a lineup that puts pressure on pitchers from top to bottom. Returning All-Region player Taylor Lewis is on a tear, with a .380 average, 14 extra base hits, 25 RBIs and 15 stolen bases for the Chargers, while sophomore Miami (OH) transfer Nathalie Hagle bats .337 and leads the team in extra-base hits (17) and RBIs (35). Maggie Olaveson (eight home runs, 29 RBIs) and Olivia Liguori (six home runs, 21 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 1.105 OPS, 17 stolen bases on the year and is batting .514 in conference play. Proving Hillsdale's offensive depth – nine different players have a home run for the Chargers this season, and eight 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. Senior Mackenzi Maxson has the most starts, the best ERA (4.52), the most strikeouts (45) and 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 real and credible options in the circle for Hillsdale. In most doubleheaders, four or all five pitchers play a role for the Chargers in getting victories, but, with a 5.26 staff ERA, Hillsdale needs more consistent play to remain in title contention.

Hillsdale has dominated its series with Malone, going 20-2 against the Pioneers all-time, including a 13-game winning streak from 2013 to 2021. Malone has the most recent win in the series however, beating the Chargers 13-3 last season, and should be a tough out this year as a team on the rise. Befitting two teams who contend for the G-MAC title every year, ODU and Hillsdale have an extremely competitive series, with the Chargers leading 20-15. Neither team has a win streak longer than four games and splits are common. The two teams did split in a doubleheader in Hillsdale last year, but the Chargers won the rubber match on a walk-off in a 4-3 G-MAC Tourney victory last season.