The Hillsdale College softball team had a thrilling doubleheader with the early leader in the G-MAC title race on Saturday, handing the Tiffin Dragons their first conference loss in a split.

Hillsdale staked an early lead in the opener and rode those runs to a 5-2 victory that snapped an 11-game Tiffin winning streak. After Maggie Olaveson and Hannah Hoverman hit back to back singles to lead off the bottom of the second inning, Hillsdale benefited from a Tiffin error and took full advantage, with Emma Vis and Ashley Strick hitting back-to-back RBI singles and Olivia Liguori scoring on a groundout to give Hillsdale a 3-0 edge. 

Tiffin got a run back in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly, but Hillsdale added two important insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run by Maggie Olaveson and a RBI single by Anna Chellman to take a 5-1 lead. Tiffin refused to go down easily, getting a solo home run in the top of the sixth to cut into the deficit, and putting two runners in scoring position on the top of the seventh with no outs. Hillsdale, however, made the plays it needed in the top of the seventh, getting three straight flyouts to secure the victory.

Hillsdale ace Joni Russell (9-2) was excellent again for the Chargers, striking out six, walking none and holding one of the most dangerous lineups in the Midwest Region to just two runs in a complete game victory.

Olaveson was 2 for 3 with the solo home run, Hannah Hoverman was 2 for 3 with a double, and Ashley Strick and Olivia Liguori each chipped in two hits as well for the Chargers, who finished with 11 hits in the victory.

The nightcap was a similar game with the roles reversed, as Tiffin jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and held off a strong rally by the Chargers late in a 4-3 Dragons victory.

Tiffin scored all four of their runs in the game on two home runs, a three-run shot in the top of the third inning and a solo shot in the top of the fourth. Hillsdale made a big push offensively in the bottom of fifth, with Strick leading off with a triple and scoring on a RBI single by Emma Sather. Sather would later successfully steal home on a first and third play to cut into the lead further, and Anna Chellman would cut the deficit to 4-3 with a RBI single.

That left Hillsdale with the potential go-ahead run on base, but Tiffin got an out on the next play to get out of the jam, and kept the Chargers off the bases in the sixth and seventh inning to hold on for the victory.

Four of Hillsdale's five hits came in the bottom of the fifth, with Lewis also adding a single for the Chargers. Ansityn Foster (2-1) took the loss for the Chargers, striking out two and walking one in three innings, and Mackenzi Maxson pitched the final four innings in relief, with three strikeouts and no runs conceded to give Hillsdale a chance late.

Hillsdale is now 18-13 overall, 4-2 in G-MAC play and remain in a good spot in the G-MAC title race with the split, a game back of the Dragons and Ashland in the loss column. The Chargers next host Davenport on Wednesday for a non-conference doubleheader as a long homestand continues, before returning to conference play with doubleheaders against Malone and Northwood at Johnny Williams field this Saturday and Sunday.

Photo by Kenneth Gaudet