Two weeks after a rough start to the season down in Texas, the Hillsdale College softball team showed the growth it's had since then in a 5-2 win over Ferris State to kick off its three-day stint at the Lewis Dome Invitational on Friday.

Just as it did in three of its four losses in Texas, the Chargers fell behind Ferris early, giving up two runs in the top of the first inning on an error. But this time, the Chargers battled right back, cutting into the Bulldogs' lead with an RBI single by Madison Rathbun.

Then, Hillsdale took the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning, tying the game on a RBI single by Natalie Stepnaneko, then pulling ahead on the next batter thanks to a two-run double by Elaine Townley.

Jenna Cantalupo scored Reagan Gensiejewski on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to tack on an insurance run for the Chargers, who held Ferris scoreless over the final six innings to secure the win.

Freshman Joni Russell earned her second win on the mound for the Chargers, pitching all seven innings. Russell got off to a rough start, walking three batters in the first inning, but quickly settled in and was lights out over the final six innings, striking out seven batters and giving up just two hits and no earned runs in the victory.

Rathbun went 3 for 3 at the plate for the Chargers, who finished with 11 hits, and Stepanenko added two hits as well. Gensiejewski also stole a base to help get in position for Cantalupo's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth.

Hillsdale is now 2-4 overall and has a chance to get back to .500 on Saturday as action continues at The Dome in Rosemont, Illinois. The Chargers play Minnesota St.-Moorehead at 9 a.m. CT (10 ET) to kick things off, then face Truman St. at 1:30 p.m. CT (2:30 p.m. ET) as well.

Photo by Kasidy Carson