Box score: Hillsdale 6, Holy Family 1

Box score: Ferris State 6, Hillsdale 4

One up and one down on Thursday for the Hillsdale College softball team.

The Chargers opened play in Clermont, Florida with a 6-1 win over Holy Family. In the second game, the Chargers lost to former conference rival Ferris State 6-4 in a game that featured four home runs. Hillsdale now stands at 5-12 on the season.

In the opener, Hillsdale enjoyed a 10-2 hits advantage, and scored all six of its runs in the game's first four innings.

Seniors Katie Kish and Amanda Marra kickstarted the offense as they so often have over the years. Kish was 3-fo-r4 with two runs scored, while Marra drove in a run, went 2-for-4 and scored twice. 

Sophomore Emma Johnson had an RBI double while going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Natalie Stepanenko had a hit and a run scored. 

Junior Dana Weidinger recorded her third win of the season, going six innings with five strikeouts. Julia Sayles finished up the game with a two-stirkeout outing.

Game two was a slugfest between two former GLIAC rivals. Ferris State held a 5-1 lead, but the Chargers kept working, scoring once each in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings before falling just short.

Juniro Sam Catron and sophomore Natalie Walters each hit home runs for Hillsdale. Marra picked up two more hits and freshman Anna Dixon was 2-for-4 with a run batted in. Stepanenko set a new season-high with three hits and scored a run in the game.

PHOTO: Carly Gouge