Softball

HCAC 2026 Softball Notebook, Week 10

CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) softball teams competed in week 10 of the 2026 season.
 
Around the League:
HCAC Softball Schedule

Athletes of the Week:
Player of the Week
Avery Parsons (Walton, Ky.) Transylvania University | Second Base | Junior - Avery Parsons put together a strong and consistent week at the plate for Transylvania across six games. Against Franklin, Parsons went a combined 3-for-6 with a run scored and a walk. She followed with a standout series against Manchester, going 4-for-6 with four runs scored, an RBI, a triple, a home run, and a stolen base. Parsons continued her production against Wilmington, combining to go 3-for-6 with a run, three RBIs, two doubles, a triple, and a stolen base, showcasing both power and speed throughout the week.

Pitcher of the Week
Lesleigh Reimers (Wauconda, Ill.) Mount St. Joseph University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Lesleigh Reimers made three appearances for Mount St. Joseph this week with one start in the circle. She went 2-0 on the week with a complete game and a shutout. Over 12 2/3 innings of work she allowed only five hits and one unearned run, while striking out nine opposing batters.

Notable Performances:
  • Leah Ramirez (Elida, Ohio) Bluffton University | Utility | Sophomore - Leah Ramirez went 4-of-6 with three home runs, five RBI, and four runs scored. She slugged a whopping 2.167 and finished with a .714 on-base percentage. Ramirez sent Bluffton to its first HCAC tournament berth since 2015 with her walkoff homer in game one versus Rose-Hulman on Saturday.
  • Grace Gronberg (Danville, Ohio) Bluffton University | Pitcher | Sophomore - Grace Gronberg went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in a complete-game victory over Rose-Hulman that propelled Bluffton to its first HCAC tournament berth since 2015. She scattered nine hits over seven innings and fired two strikeouts with no walks.
  • Bo Shelton (Anderson, Ind.) Earlham College | Infield | Junior - Bo Shelton led Earlham at the plate in a 4-0 week to end the season, locking up the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament. Shelton hit .571 with two doubles and three home runs. Shelton scored five runs with a team-high eight RBI on the week. Shelton did not strike out all week and earned one walk with a steal. 
  • Shelby Messer (Pendleton, Ind.) Earlham College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Shelby Messer pitched two complete game wins for Earlham as it secured the No. 4 seed in the HCAC Tournament. Messer allowed just two earned runs across 13 innings for a 1.08 ERA. Messer held a 0.85 WHIP, allowing 11 hits and zero walks while tallying seven strikeouts. 
  • Jaylee Fansler (Bainbridge, Ind.) Franklin College | Second Base | Sophomore - Jaylee Fansler was at her best over Franklin's four biggest games, leading the way as the team took three of four against Transylvania and Mount St. Joseph to secure the top seed in the HCAC tournament. The sophomore was 6-for-12 with a pair of doubles and three walks for a .600 on-base percentage, scoring four runs and driving in three.
  • Lauren Duncan (Peru, Ind.) Franklin College | Pitcher | Junior - Laruen Duncan came up big in a must-win game at Transylvania, going the distance with a five-hitter as Franklin scored a 5-2 road victory. The junior struck out seven without a walk for the Grizzlies, which used the win as a springboard toward the top seed in the conference tournament.
  • Lulu Van Beek (Noblesville, Ind.) Hanover College | Pitcher | Sophomore - Lulu Van Beek led Hanover to a 2-2 week making two starts, while throwing two complete games. She finished one strikeout shy of 100 on the season collecting 19 on the week, including 11 in the game one win over Berea. In the complete game start, she posted a 0.00 ERA. 
  • Alayna Flynn (Bloomington, Ind.) Mount St. Joseph University | Infield | Junior - Alayna Flynn helped Mount St. Joseph to a 3-1 week, securing a share of the HCAC regular season championship. For the week, she was 5-for-10 at the plate with four runs scored and four walks, while going 1-for-1 in stolen base attempts.
  • Jessica Newsom (Lawrenceville, Ga.) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Catcher/Infield | Junior - Jessica Newsom led Rose-Hulman at the plate as the team went 3-1 across the week with a sweep over Hanover and a split against Bluffton. Newsom totaled a .533 batting average with eight hits, including two doubles and two home runs, while tallying four RBIs.
  • Aubrey Smith (Lebanon, Ohio) Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Pitcher/Third Base | Junior - Aubrey Smith led Rose-Hulman in the circle this week with a record of 1-1, earning a win against Hanover and suffering a loss to Bluffton. She pitched 14 innings with 10 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA.
  • Maddie Goddard (Union, Ky.) Transylvania University | Pitcher/First Base | Sophomore - Maddie Goddard pitched seven innings, allowing three hits and zero runs, while striking out five batters and walking one against Manchester to earn a complete shutout. Against Wilmington, she pitched four innings - allowing four hits, two runs, one walk and struck out two batters. She earned two wins at the mound this week.

Looking Forward:
HCAC Softball Standings