The Hillsdale College softball team opened the 2026 season with a historic victory on Friday evening.

The Chargers stunned two-time defending NCAA DII champion and top-ranked University of Texas at Tyler with a seventh inning rally in a 4-1 victory, Hillsdale's first over the top-ranked team in the nation in the available records of the program's history.

Hillsdale largely controlled the contest, as sophomore pitcher Grace Harris spun a gem in the circle, holding the powerhouse Patriots lineup to just one hit in seven innings of work thanks to excellent control and a strong defensive effort behind her. UT Tyler, however, made that one hit count, turning a leadoff triple to start the bottom of the third into the game's lone run through the first six innings. 

The Chargers, meanwhile, had five hits at the plate in the first six innings but were unable to scrape a run across against a stout UT Tyler defense. That left the Chargers still trailing 1-0 and down to their final two outs in the top of the seventh inning.

Under pressure, Hillsdale came up big in the clutch. The Chargers strung together three straight hits -- a single by Anna Chellman that got by the shortstop, a double by Medleigh Danchak up the middle, and a RBI single by Sydney Davis that found a hole on the left side to tie up the game.

UT Tyler changed pitchers after the tying hit, and the Chargers pounced on the reliever, scoring the go-ahead run on a passed ball, drawing two two-out walks, and tacking on two huge insurance runs on a double to the centerfield fence by Maggie Olaveson.

Now with a 4-1 lead to work with, Harris, who came up big for the Chargers as a freshman in last year's NCAA Tournament, once again showed her poise in the circle. Harris calmly worked through the bottom of the seventh and recorded the final three outs after a leadoff walk to secure one of the biggest regular season victories for Hillsdale in program history.

The Chargers outhit the Patriots 9-1, with two seventh inning doubles to overturn the deficit. Olaveson was an impressive 3 for 4 at the plate, while Taylor Lewis went 2 for 3 with a stolen base as well and Anna Chellman also finished with two hits, including the one that started the rally in the seventh.

While Hillsdale (1-0) can be proud of the victory, the Chargers can't rest on their laurels long, as Hillsdale has two more tough contests tomorrow in Tyler, Texas. The Chargers open Saturday at 11 a.m. ET against a red-hot Northeastern State team that upset fifth-ranked North Georgia and went 4-0 to open the season last weekend, before facing the Patriots in a rematch of tonight's exciting contest at 1:30 p.m.