The rain held off just long enough for Hillsdale to put the finishing touches on an important doubleheader sweep of visiting Thomas More on Tuesday afternoon.

The winning run in the second game, courtesy of a walk-off, two run single by Nathalie Hagle, had just crossed home plate for the Chargers to clinch a 7-6 victory when the heavens opened up with a downpour that almost certainly would have stopped the game with Thomas More still leading 6-5 if it had begun to fall just 60 seconds earlier.

Hagle's just-in-time single put the finishing touches on a huge comeback for the Chargers in the nightcap, as Hillsdale had fallen behind 5-0 in the top of the first in a two-error inning where Thomas More had taken full advantage of the Chargers' miscues.

Hillsdale plated three runs in the bottom of the first, thanks in part to a RBI single by Sydney Davis and a sacrifice fly by Maggie Olaveson, to get back in the game, but the Chargers didn't lead until the final at-bat and trailed 6-3 through four and half innings. 

The Chargers closed the gap again in the bottom of the fifth, taking advantage of a Thomas More error and a Taylor Lewis double to score two runs on a sacrifice bunt by Davis and a sacrifice fly by Hagle. 

That meant Hillsdale trailed just 6-5 with two innings to play, but the Chargers went down in order in the sixth, taking Hillsdale down to its final three outs. With storm clouds looming, Hillsdale put on a threat in the bottom of the seventh, starting with a base hit by pinch hitter Cayla Contreras. Ronnie Craft sacrifice bunted the runner over and Lewis drew a walk to get the tying run in scoring position.

Thomas More nearly clinched the game with a double play, but the first baseman couldn't hold on to the final out, and when the ball got away from her, Hillsdale advanced runners to second and third with two outs. 

That brought up Hagle, who delivered the walk-off hit with no time to spare in a dramatic win.

Hagle went 2 for 3 with three RBIs to lead Hillsdale at the plate, while Lewis added a single and a double and Medleigh Danchak was 2 for 2 as well.

Grace Harris (7-4) got the win in relief for the Chargers, pitching two and two-thirds scoreless innings with a strikeout. Starter Katie Jonas went four and a third innings with one strikeout and two walks, and just two of the six runs she conceded were earned.

The nightcap drama came on the heels of another exciting rally, as the Chargers overcame an early deficit in the first game as well to win by one run in a 3-2 contest.

Thomas More jumped on Hillsdale in that game as well, scoring twice in the first inning to take an early lead. 

Hillsdale battled back and tied the game up in the bottom of the second, as Hagle hit a solo home run to get the Chargers on the board, and Olivia Liguori scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Anna Chellman after a stand-up triple.

The Chargers took the lead for good in the bottom of the third, as Ronnie Craft led off with a single, stole second base and scored what ended up being the winning run in a 3-2 ball game on a double by Sydney Davis.

After giving up two runs in the first inning, senior Mackenzi Maxson shut down Thomas More the rest of the way to improve to 7-6 on the season, striking out two, walking none and pitching six scoreless innings after the jam in the first.

Lewis was 2 for 3 at the plate to lead the Chargers in the opening victory, and Payton Adkins added a stolen base as well for Hillsdale.

The wins are big for Hillsdale, now 25-16 overall and 13-5 in G-MAC play, as the Chargers move into a tie for fourth place in the standings and remain alive in the G-MAC title race, two games back of leader Tiffin with four to play for the Dragons and six for the Chargers. Hillsdale continues a packed week of contests on Thursday at 1 p.m. as the Chargers host Kentucky Wesleyan in two more make-up contests. The game also will serve as Senior Day for Hillsdale, as the Chargers salute their six graduating seniors in a special send-off between the two doubleheader contests.