Sophomore Joni Russell pitched a seven inning shutout against the Tusculum Pioneers last spring.
Courtesy | James Gensterblum

Charger softball began its season last weekend in Tennessee at Tusculum University and Wheeling University, finishing with a record of 2-1. 

The Chargers beat Tusculum 3-1 and played Wheeling twice on Sunday, winning the first game 6-2 and losing the second 9-2. 

Senior Hailey Holtman, junior Hannah Hoverman, junior Emma Vis, senior McKenna Eichholz, sophomore Maggie Olaveson, and senior Grace Wallner scored runs last weekend. 

Four games were canceled on Friday and Saturday due to rain. Initially, the Chargers were scheduled to play the Fairmont State University Falcons, Lees-McRae College Bobcats, and Tusculum University Pioneers for a total of five games. However, the Chargers played only the first game against the Pioneers on Friday. 

Due to rain cancellations in Tennessee, the Wheeling University Cardinals offered to host the Chargers for two games on Sunday. Wheeling University is an NCAA Division II school in Wheeling, West Virginia. Unlike the Chargers, who compete in the Great Midwest Athletics Conference, the Cardinals compete in the Mountain East Conference. 

Head coach Kyle Gross said he is satisfied with the weekend results. 

“Overall, given the circumstances, with rainouts and extra travel, it seemed to go pretty well for an opening weekend,” Gross said.

Junior Joni Russell agreed the weekend went well and said she is proud of how the team was able to step up to the challenge of schedule changes.

“We definitely did well at adapting because we started off in Tennessee,” Russell said. “Despite all this, everyone was high-spirited and super positive and adapted really well.”

Freshman Sydney Davis picked up a hit in her first collegiate at-bat experience last weekend. She said she believes the team performed well and will go into the next few weeks focused. 

“I think our energy and the bond between us was absolutely fantastic,” Davis said. “There’s just a few small technical things that we can improve upon just like any other team.”

Russell’s right hand was struck from a line drive while playing Friday, leaving the Chargers two pitchers for the remainder of their games. Senior Erin Kapteyn and sophomore Mackenzie Maxson pitched for the Chargers on Sunday.  

The Chargers are scheduled to play the weekend of Feb. 23 at the Lewis Dome Invitational in Rosemont, Illinois. Gross said he anticipates these games will be challenging.

In preparation for the upcoming games, the Chargers intend to train areas of weakness that Gross noticed this past weekend. 

“We left a lot of runners on base, we hit well, but we got on base and failed to bring in runs,” Gross said. “So we’re working on finding ways to make sure we get runs in Louisville on base. We have to find a way to get runners around.”

Russell said the Chargers plan to add focus on accountability in upcoming practices.

“In practice right now we are working on, when you make a mistake, not blowing it off,” Russell said. “We’re trying to see our failures, our mistakes, and be aware of them to improve and not be nonchalant.”