The Hillsdale College softball team's offense continued to shine at the plate in a road sweep of rival Northwood on Wednesday.

The Chargers pounded out 22 runs, including six home runs, across 15 innings in an offensive show of force that overwhelmed the host Timberwolves and give Hillsdale a 4-0 start to the G-MAC season.

Hillsdale started the day by winning a marathon shootout in nine innings, 11-10, over Northwood. The Chargers led 8-2 through three and a half innings and 9-3 through the top of the fifth, but Northwood plated six runs in the sixth and seventh innings in a furious rally to force extra innings. 

After a tense and scoreless eighth inning, Hillsdale broke through in the ninth. The Chargers strung together three two-out hits to score twice, starting with a single by Emma Sather and concluding with RBI singles by Taylor Lewis and Sydney Davis for the game-winning runs.

Northwood tried to stage a final rally in the bottom of the ninth, scoring on a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to one, but reliever Anistyn Foster was able to work out of the jam and induce a groundout to seal the victory for the Chargers.

Lewis had a huge game for the Chargers, going 4 for 5 at the plate with three RBIs, a double, and a home run to start the contest that set the tone for the doubleheader for Hillsdale. Davis was 3 for 4 with two RBIs, Nathalie Hagle chipped in a two-run home run and a sacrifice fly for a third RBI, and Olivia Liguori added a two-run double as well as the Chargers used extra-base power to great effect in the victory.

Foster got the win in relief for the Chargers, pitching the final two innings. Gracelynn Kelly was the starter and pitched the first inning and two-thirds for Hillsdale, and Katie Jonas struck out four and walked two in five and a third innings of relief as well.

Hillsdale continued to fire on all cylinders offensively in the nightcap, but a tighter defensive game and more consistent pitching allowed the Chargers to run away with the contest for an 11-2 final in six innings. 

Hagle continued a brilliant day at the plate with two more home runs in her first two plate appearances in game two, blasting a two-run bomb in the top of the first to give Hillsdale an early 3-0 lead. In the third, Hagle added another two-run blast to extend Hillsdale's edge, and Olivia Liguori added a solo shot later in the inning to put Hillsdale up 6-0. 

Maggie Olaveson put a bow on the contest in the top of the sixth with a two-run home run of her own to trigger the run rule and end the game an inning early for the Chargers.

Sydney Davis added another RBI single for Hillsdale, and Ronnie Craft twice stole home in first and third situations for the Chargers, part of a game that saw Craft go 2 for 4 with a double and three stolen bases in the leadoff position for the Chargers.

Mackenzi Maxson (4-3) pitched all six innings to get the win for Hillsdale, striking out two, walking none, and giving up just two earned runs on the day.

Hillsdale is now 16-11 overall, 4-0 in the G-MAC and in a three way tie for first place in the league with Ashland and Ohio Dominican, with Tiffin also close behind at 2-0. The Chargers continue a busy week with two G-MAC doubleheaders at home this weekend, starting with two against Cedarville at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Johnny Williams Field.