Softball

HCAC 2026 Softball Notebook, Week 7

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) softball teams competed in week seven of the 2026 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Softball Schedule

Athletes of the Week:
Player of the Week
Jaylee Fansler (Bainbridge, Ind.) Franklin College | Second Base | Sophomore - Jaylee Fansler was a big part of a perfect 6-0 week for HCAC-leading Franklin, going 7-for-16 with six walks, four doubles, seven runs scored, and 10 RBI. She doubled three times during the front end of a doubleheader against Bluffton, including one of the bases-clearing variety.

Pitcher of the Week
Grace Gronberg (Danville, Ohio) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Grace Gronberg went 4-1 with a 2.59 ERA across five starts for the Beavers this week. She tossed 27 innings with four complete games. The sophomore ace fired 30 strikeouts, finished with two shutouts and held the opposition to a paltry .218 batting average.

Notable Performances:
  • Alexis Schultz (Indianapolis, Ind.) Anderson University | Outfield | Senior - Alexis Schultz went 13-for-25 with two doubles and six RBI as Anderson went 4-4 on the week. She recorded a .520 batting average, a .483 on-base percentage, and a .600 slugging percentage.
  • Madison Brentlinger (Indian Lake, Ohio) Bluffton University | Second Base | Sophomore - Madison Brentlinger torched Bluffton's opponents with a .467 batting average in her 10 games this week. She scored 15 runs, drove in seven, slugged .600, and had a .529 OBP as the Beavers went 7-3 for the week. Brentlinger smashed a grand slam on Saturday.
  • Mack Harvey (Indianapolis, Ind.) Earlham College | Infield | Sophomore - Mack Harvey led Earlham in a 2-2 week of conference play. The sophomore hit .615 with three doubles, four runs scored, three walks, five RBI, and two stolen bases. Harvey went a combined 5-5 with three runs and five RBI on Saturday against Rose-Hulman to help Earlham sweep the Engineers for the first time in program history.
  • Jade Green (Connersville, Ind.) Earlham College | Pitcher | Freshman - Jade Green picked up her first collegiate save this week after entering game two against Rose-Hulman with runners on first and third with one out and a 7-4 lead. Green pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run to claim the program's first sweep of the Engineers in program history. On Wednesday, Green threw four scoreless innings against Transylvania, allowing just one hit. For the week, Green tossed 6 2/3 innings with one earned run on three hits for a 1.05 ERA.
  • Zoey Kugelman (Mooresville, Ind.) Franklin College | Pitcher | Junior - Zoey Kugelman came up big in a pair of relief appearances for Franklin. She tossed three shutout innings to earn a save in a 2-0 victory at Spalding, then threw two more scoreless frames to earn the win as Franklin completed a 5-4 comeback win at Anderson. She allowed just three hits over those five total innings. Kugelman also had a great week at the plate, going 10-for-19 with 12 runs scored and four driven in during the Grizzlies' perfect 6-0 week.
  • Ashley Fulton (Hanover, Ind.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Ashley Fulton made three starts with 17 2/3 innings pitched allowing 10 earned runs on 22 hits. Fulton finished the week with a 3.96 ERA.
  • Morgan Bailey (Pickerington, Ohio) Hanover College | Utility | Freshman - Morgan Bailey had a strong week as Hanover went 2-4 overall. The freshman went 11-for-20 with nine RBI and six runs scored. She posted a .550 batting average and drew one walk.
  • Erin Singleton (Brownstown, Ind.) Manchester University | Second Base | Senior - Erin Singleton provided steady offense for Manchester this past week. Singleton went 6-for-13 at the plate with four RBI and one double.
  • Sydney Hughbanks (New Palestine, Ind.) Mount St. Joseph University | Outfield | Junior - Sydney Hughbanks led the team to a 3-1 week including a split on the road at Transylvania. For the week, she was 9-for-15 at the plate with three runs scored, two doubles, and a walk.
  • Lesleigh Reimers (Wauconda, Ill.) Mount St. Joseph University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Lesleigh Reimers put together a 1-1 record this week, throwing a complete game in the Lions midweek win over Wilmington. For the week she had two appearances, one start and one complete game shutout. She pitched 8 2/3 innings allowing five hits and only one earned run while striking out four.
  • Jessica Newsom (Lawrenceville, Ga.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Catcher/Infield | Junior - Jessica Newsom was a standout for Rose-Hulman in its doubleheader against Earlham. Newsom batted .571, going 4-for-7 with three runs scored and three RBIs. She hit a two-run home run in the first game against the Quakers and was 1-1 on stolen bases on the weekend. 
  • Avery Parsons (Walton, Ky.) Transylvania University | Outfield | Junior - Avery Parsons connected on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat Mount St. Joseph in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday. She recorded three hits and four runs, including a double and a triple, in the win.

Looking Forward:
HCAC Softball Standings