The Hillsdale College softball team rallied from a late deficit to take victory in its first game, but couldn't complete the comeback in the second contest in a roller-coaster first day on Friday at the Lewis Dome Invite in Rosemont, Illinois.

Hillsdale opened the day with a win in a 7-5 thriller over Minnesota State-Moorhead. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning after giving up four runs to the Dragons in the top of the frame,  Hillsdale strung together four hits and got back-to-back two run singles from Sydney Davis and Taylor Lewis to pull back in front 7-4. 

MSU-Moorhead was able to get a run back in the top of the seventh on a sacrifice fly, but freshman Anistyn Foster was able to induce the game-ending fly-out to earn her first collegiate win for the Chargers in relief.

Midway through the game, Hillsdale appeared to be cruising, taking a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth on an absolute blast of a home run by senior Emma Vis that was well over the centerfield field at 235 feet. The Chargers then tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth after Emma Sather drew a leadoff walk, stole both second and third base, and reached home safely on a wild pitch.

A tough top of the sixth, however, forced the Chargers to rally once again for their fifth win of the season. 

Sather finished 2 for 3 at the plate and Lewis was 2 for 4 with a triple to lead the Chargers in the victory, and Maggie Olaveson added a double as well. 

Joni Russell got the start and pitched four scoreless innings for the Chargers, with four strikeouts and just two hits conceded, and Gracelynn Kelly pitched one and two-thirds innings of relief as well.

In the nightcap, Hillsdale also fell behind due to one bad inning, but couldn't generate enough offense to rally in a 7-4 loss to Minnesota-Duluth.

Duluth took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-run double, and although Hillsdale was able to get a run back with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning, the Bulldogs got all the runs they needed to win in a five-run third inning to pull away.

Hillsdale refused to go quietly, turning two Duluth errors into two runs in the bottom of the third, and getting a RBI single from Emma Vis in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Bulldogs' lead to 7-4.

Although Hillsdale created chances to overcome the deficit, however, the Chargers failed to take full advantage of their opportunities, generating just one run in a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the second and stranding nine total runners in the contest.

Olaveson was 2 for 4 to lead the Chargers at the plate and was unlucky to be robbed of a third hit by a sensational defensive play from from Duluth's third baseman in the bottom of the seventh that helped snuff out another Chargers rally.  Hannah Hoverman and Anna Chellman each added a single for Hillsdale as well.

Mackenzi Maxson (2-2) took the loss for Hillsdale, pitching two and a third innings with three strikeouts and four walks, and Foster followed up her first collegiate win with another excellent relief outing, pitching four and two-thirds innings of scoreless softball with three strikeouts and just two hits conceded.

Hillsdale is now 5-5 on the season and will look to get above .500 tomorrow with another contest in the Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex. The Chargers will face off against Bemidji State at noon on Saturday in the third of five contests over three days.

Photo by Reva Ludwig