In an emotional and hard fought game befitting the only two remaining undefeated teams in the 2025 G-MAC Tournament, Hannah Hoverman and the Hillsdale College softball team saved the best for last.

Tied 3-3 with fifth-seeded Ohio Dominican with one out in the bottom of the seventh, the second-seeded Chargers strung together back-to-back singles up the middle from Taylor Lewis and Emma Vis, then Maggie Olaveson drew a walk to load the bases on an extended at-bat that saw her foul off numerous pitches.

That brought Hoverman, a veteran senior and a hot hand for the Chargers on the day, to the plate. The senior catcher delivered once again for the Chargers, hitting a line drive single down the right field line for her third hit of the day to give Hillsdale a 4-3 victory in walk-off fashion.

Hoverman's walk-off was a dramatic finish to a roller-coaster and high-intensity contest for both squads. The Chargers twice took a lead, with Emma Vis giving the Chargers a 1-0 lead on a solo home run that easily cleared the fence in left center. 

After ODU answered in the third, taking advantage of a Hillsdale error to tie up the game, the Chargers pulled back in front in the bottom of the fifth. After a two-out single and a stolen base by Emma Sather, Lewis hit a fly ball to shallow center field that dropped in between two charging ODU defenders for a RBI single to put Hillsdale back in front 2-1.

It looked like that might be enough for the Chargers, but the Panthers had other ideas, turning a leadoff single in the top of the sixth into two baserunners. Kendrick Sterling scored them both with a double to center field, and suddenly Hillsdale found itself trailing for the first time this week and just six outs away from dropping into the loser's bracket. 

Despite the setback, Hillsdale was undaunted. Centerfielder Emma Sather made her third web gem catch of the tournament to prevent Sterling from adding to ODU's lead and end the threat in the top of the sixth, and Hillsdale took advantage of an ODU error to lead off the inning to tie the game.

A single by Anna Chellman got the runner from the error to third, and pinch runner Ronnie Craft was able to just beat the tag at home on a ball put in play by Olivia Liguori to tie up the contest at 3-apiece entering the seventh inning.

ODU threatened to retake the lead in the top of the seventh, getting runners at the corners with two outs, but pitcher Joni Russell got a big swinging strikeout of ODU cleanup hitter Emily Holland for the third out to end the threat and set up Hoverman's walk-off hit in the bottom of the frame.

Hoverman went 3 for 4 along with the game winner to lead Hillsdale at the plate, Emma Vis chipped in a single and her solo home run, and Emma Sather and Taylor Lewis each added two hits as well.

On the mound, Russell (22-2) battled a tough ODU lineup to give the Chargers the victory, striking out nine and walking three in a complete game win that moves her into a tie for second place all-time in Hillsdale history for single-season wins.

With the win, the Chargers improve to 36-16 overall, the most wins in a single season by a Hillsdale College softball team since back-to-back 40 win seasons in 1990 and 1991. Hillsdale also is just one win away from a record-tying fourth G-MAC Tournament title and an automatic bid to the NCAA DII Tournament. 

The Chargers await their Saturday opponent in the G-MAC Championship game, as three teams currently battle in the elimination bracket for the right to face Hillsdale tomorrow. The Chargers will play whichever team emerges at 10 a.m. Saturday at Akron Firestone Stadium, needing to win just one contest to claim the crown while the other team will have to beat Hillsdale twice.