The Hillsdale College softball team overcame a lost lead in the seventh inning of the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader at Florida Southern, plating the winning run in extras to complete a sweep of the Mocs and get back to .500 on the season.
In the top of the eighth, Grace Wallner delivered a clutch two-out single up the middle to score McKenna Eichholz from second for the winning run, after Eichholz had reached earlier in the inning and Hannah Hoverman bunted her over into scoring position. Joni Russell pitched a scoreless bottom of the frame to secure the 6-5 victory and earn her fourth win of the season in the circle.
Hillsdale had jumped on top right away in the contest, as Hoverman took advantage of a Mocs error with a two-run single to give Hillsdale an early lead. Florida Southern rallied to tie the game at 2-all through four, but Eichholz delivered a huge three-run home run in the top of the fifth to capitalize on a walk and a Maggie Olaveson double to retake a 5-2 edge.
The Chargers still led 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh, but the Mocs were able to rally again, scoring two runs on on a double to tie up the game and put the winning run on second base with just one out. Despite giving up the two-run hit, Russell buckled down and struck out the next two batters to push the game to extra innings and set up Wallner's game-winning hit.
Hillsdale finished with just five hits in the contest but strung them together for maximum effect in the 6-5 victory. Along with the four hits already mentioned, freshman Sydney Davis contributed a single as well, and Emma Sather stole a base.
All three of Hillsdale's pitchers contributed to the victory, with Mackenzi Maxson making the start and pitching three innings, and Erin Kapteyn adding three more solid innings of relief. Russell struck out three and walked one in two innings of work.
The game two victory followed a strong 8-2 win over Florida Southern in the first game that saw the Chargers pound out 12 hits. The Chargers jumped out in front in the top of the second on a RBI single by Taylor Lewis, then blew the game open in the top of the third inning, as Wallner hit a RBI single and junior Emma Vis followed it up with a three-run home run over the right field fence in the very next at bat.
Florida Southern got two runs in the bottom of the third to stay in the game, but the Chargers shut the door in the top of the fifth with three insurance runs, on a RBI triple by Vis, a RBI groundout by Lewis and a RBI single by Hailey Holtman.
Vis led the Chargers at the plate, going 3 for 4 with the two extra base hits and four RBIs, and Eichholz, Wallner and Emma Sather each chipped in two hits as well in a strong offensive performance.
Kapteyn picked up her fourth win of the season in an impressive relief performance, pitching four scoreless innings with one strikeout and two walks. Russell got the start and struck out six batters with one walk in three innings of work.
Hillsdale is now 8-8 overall and is in action again tomorrow, Wednesday, travelling to Eckerd for the team's third of five doubleheaders on the Chargers' annual Florida Spring Break trip.