ALLENDALE, Mich. – The amazing respective spring seasons for No. 5 seed Hillsdale and No. 6 Ohio Dominican came to an end on Friday during the third day of the NCAA Softball Championship Midwest Regional.
Hillsdale was idle on Thursday, when Ohio Dominican and No. 4 seed Trevecca Nazarene each played at the Lakers Softball Complex. TNU was officially eliminated from the bracket with losses vs. region host and top seed Grand Valley State and a loss vs. ODU.
That set up a showdown elimination game between ODU and Hillsdale on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET. The postseason matchup went to extra innings as the Chargers stayed alive and officially ousted the Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament champion Panthers in a 1-0 final.
All-conference staff aces Dana Weidinger (HC) and Sydney Long (ODU) went above and beyond to keep their teams in contention while pitching more than the regulation total of innings.
Long went 7.1 for ODU as the Chargers produced the walk-off victory in the bottom of the eighth inning. Weidinger went a full eight frames of shutout ball for Hillsdale to earn her 22nd win in the circle.
Weidinger struck out four and scattered eight hits as Sam Catron delivered the game-winning RBI hit with one out.
Hillsdale’s next challenge was against No. 2 UIndy after the Greyhounds were handed their first loss in the winner’s bracket by No. 1 GVSU earlier in the afternoon.
Unfortunately, it was the end of the road for the Great Midwest’s final hope as the Chargers fell by a close 7-5 score. First team all-conference outfielder Natalie Stepanenko was a force in the leadoff role by going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Hillsdale was able to chase UIndy starter Hallie Waters after recording just four outs after taking a 3-0 lead at the end of two. But the Greyhounds chipped away and scored one run in the next four consecutive innings to take a 4-3 lead.
Hillsdale’s turn in the sixth inning gave the Chargers the lead again as Sam Catron drew a bases loaded walk to score the go-ahead run and gain a 5-4 advantage. UIndy scored runs on a hit by pitch and a walk, both with the bases loaded as part of a three-run seventh and staff ace Kenzee Smith, despite battling control issues, finished it out for her 24th win of the spring.
Hillsdale ended its season with a 33-17 overall record. Ohio Dominican ended its season with a 30-18 overall record.