CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) softball teams competed in week four of the 2026 season.
 
Athletes of the Week:
Player of the Week:
Ella Steczynski (Edgewood, Ky.) Transylvania University | Shortstop | Junior - Ella Steczynski led Transylvania with three hits in each win against MSOE on Thursday. In game one she landed three hits in three at-bats, also recording an RBI. In game two, she landed two runs, three hits in four at-bats.

Notable Performances:

• Ariannah Jones (Danville, Ind.) Anderson University | Pitcher/Infielder | Freshman - Ariannah Jones went 5-for-12 with a .417 batting average in Anderson's games against No. 2 Trine and Calvin last week.
• Ashton Richey (New Castle, Ind.) Anderson University | Pitcher | Freshman - Ashton Richey pulled out an eight-inning win against Calvin. She struck out three batters, yielded five walks, and allowed two runs on six hits.
• Grace Gronberg (Danville, Ohio) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Grace Gronberg helped Bluffton to a 2-2 mark on the week, including a sweep of Kenyon on Saturday afternoon. She hit a blistering .583 with a double, a home run, five runs scored and two RBI. She slugged .917 and finished the four games with a .615 on-base percentage. Gronberg also earned the victory in Bluffton's game-one victory over the Owls.
• Tatum Rickert (Muncie, Ind.) Earlham College | Pitcher | Junior - Tatum Rickert threw a complete game shutout in game one against Olivet on Saturday. The junior allowed just one hit, while scoring five strikeouts over seven innings of work. Earlham won game one 7-0 in Ellie Bewley Stadium.
• Shelby Hill (Liberty, Ind.) Earlham College | Catcher/Infield | Junior - Shelby Hill led Earlham at the plate on Saturday against Olivet. The junior went 4-for-6 with two doubles and one home run for three runs scored and four RBI. Hill also earned two walks.
• Ruth Kaiser (Fort Wayne, Ind.) Franklin College | First Base/Utility | Junior - Ruth Kaiser helped Franklin to a three-win weekend with two doubles and a triple among her four hits. She scored three runs and drove in three, two of those coming on a triple in an 8-5 victory over Olivet. In the field, Kaiser handled 25 chances at first base without an error (22 putouts, 3 assists). The junior is batting .474 on the season.
• Morgan Bailey (Pickerington, Ohio) Hanover College | Infield/Utility | Freshman - Morgan Bailey helped lead the Panthers to a split with Wilmington as she walked off game one with a triple that scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning. She finished the week with a .833 slugging percentage going 3-for-6 at the plate with a run scored.
• Lulu Van Beek (Noblesville, Ind.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Lulu Van Beek led Hanover to a game one win against Wilmington pitching a complete game. She allowed just two earned runs on four hits with five strikeouts. She posted a 2.00 ERA.
• Kendal Rider (Otterbein, Ind.) Manchester University | Outfield | Junior - Kendal Rider got off to a hot start last week as Manchester opened the season at The Spring Games in Florida. She hit .462 with 11 runs scored and four walks. Rider was also unstoppable on the bases, swiping 13 bags in 15 attempts.
• Aubrey Smith (Lebanon, Ohio) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Pitcher/Third Base | Junior - Aubrey Smith was a standout hitter for Rose-Hulman as it fell short in both games of their doubleheader against Greenville. Smith had an incredible performance in the first game, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and six RBI. Smith hit two home runs in back-to-back at-bats. In the second game, Smith finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Across the week, Smith finished with a .500 batting average, three runs scored, and six RBI.
• Maddie Goddard (Union, Ky.) Transylvania University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Maddie Goddard earned the win in the circle against MSOE, pitching 3 2/3 innings, allowing only three hits and walking one batter while striking out five.

Looking Forward:
HCAC Softball Standings
 
Around the League:
HCAC Softball Schedule