The Hillsdale College softball team continued an eventful Florida trip by splitting a pair of one run games with host Florida Southern on Wednesday evening.

The Chargers opened the day by winning their third extra-inning game in four days in a tense 1-0 thriller. Both teams went all seven innings without scoring a run, but Hillsdale broke through in the top of the eighth thanks to a leadoff single by junior Emma Sather.

The speedy centerfielder then stole second base, and Maggie Olaveson advanced her to third with a single to left field. That put her in position to score the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly by Hannah Hoverman in a defensive contest.

With Joni Russell on the mound finishing off a complete game performance that included the extra inning, the Chargers put the Mocs down in order in the bottom of the eighth to seal the victory.

Russell (4-1) was excellent again in recording her fourth victory of the season, tying Hillsdale's school record for career shutouts set by Sarah DeAngelo in 2001 with her 18th in the win and striking out 13 batters in the process.

Sather led the Chargers at the plate, going 3 for 4 with two stolen bases, and Anna Chellman added two hits as well, but the Chargers struggled to string offense together until the breakthrough inning in extras, stranding seven batters before scoring the go-ahead run.

In a 5-4 loss in the nightcap, Sather stayed hot at the plate, helping the Chargers strike first with a two-run single in the top of the second inning, and Olivia Liguori added a RBI single in the next inning to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead.

Florida Southern responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game, benefiting from an error in the process, but Hillsdale retook the lead on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth by Hannah Hoverman that scored Olaveson.

Hillsdale couldn't hold the lead, however, as the Mocs plated two in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull ahead. The Chargers fought in the top of the seventh, as Olaveson led off with the single and Hillsdale got the go-ahead run on first, but a game-winning or tying hit proved elusive.

Liguori went 3 for 4 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the nightcap, Sather added two more hits to finish with five on the day, and Olaveson chipped in a single and a triple for Hillsdale.

Grace Harris (2-1) took the loss on the mound for the Chargers in relief of starter Anistyn Foster, who went five and a third innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Mackenzi Maxson finished the game for the Chargers.

Hillsdale is now 11-8 overall and is off tomorrow but will pick back up in Clermont, Florida on Friday, with a 9 a.m. contest against Wayne State, followed by a game against Bentley as a part of the Spring Games.