Hillsdale softball pitcher's no-hitter leads week's top performers

TL;DR

Hillsdale sophomore Kherington Ladd threw a no-hitter against Concord, striking out 14 batters in five innings. The Hornets won 10-0, marking a crucial victory as they head into the postseason.

Key points

Kherington Ladd threw a no-hitter against Concord.
Ladd struck out 14 batters in five innings.
Hillsdale won the game 10-0.
Ladd is projected to surpass 100 strikeouts this season.
Layla Stebins and Sydney Schmucker contributed significantly to the win.

Kherington LaddLayla StebinsSydney SchmuckerHillsdale Hornets

HILLSDALE COUNTY — The Week of May 4-10 started the most important month of the softball season for area teams and athletes. As games become longer and the scores narrow, teams navigate their paths to the postseason with opportunities for athletes to make headlines.

More: Girls track and field athletes compete at Hayden Park for SCAA titles

Two area aces headlined recent news thanks to their standout performances this past week, as well as the year of softball so far in 2026.

Hillsdale sophomore Kherington Ladd struck out 14 batters in five innings to earn a no-hitter win over Concord. It was the sophomore ace's best game of the season so far, and the 10-0 final was a much-needed win for the Hornets to start May. Ladd was supported by a standout night from senior Layla Stebins, who had one hit and led the team with three runs. Sydney Schmucker caught the game and had one double-base hit, one RBI and two runs. Aubree Peck also scored two runs for Hillsdale.

Ladd added an additional six strikeouts in a 10-6 defeat to Adrian Madison in relief duties. According to recorded stats, she will likely surpass 100 strikeouts for the season within two her next two starts.

On the other side of the County, another ace celebrated passing a season milestone.

Junior Leah Headley got an early start to her career as the ace for the Rangers after taking on the role last season. Now in her second year as a full-time anchor in the circle for Reading softball, she surpassed 100 strikeouts for the year.

She started a total of three games this past week and accumulated 13 strikeouts. The junior has a no-hitter and three double-digit strikeout nights for the Rangers this season.