Lancers Topple No. 7 Knights

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - For the second time this season, Grace College's softball team knocked off No. 7 Marian with a 6-4 victory on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lancers (10-18, 6-14 Crossroads League) railed from a 2-0 deficit late and scored three runs in the eighth frame to pick up the extra inning victory. With the win, Grace earned a 2-2 season split with the seventh ranked Knights (27-7, 15-5 CL).

Grace nearly completed the sweep over Marian but a late rally from the Knights put the Lancers on the wrong side of a 6-4  mark in game two.

Game one was scoreless through the first two and a half innings before the Knights broke the deadlock in the third frame. Marian scored a pair of runs on four hits to grab the first lead of the game.

The Lancers were quiet through four innings, managing a hit and two baserunners but Grace would soon come alive.

Bree Gardinier blasted a solo homerun in the fifth inning to get Grace on the board and Chloe Huff followed up with a single. Kali Kahalekomo pinch ran for Huff and eventually scored to tie the game after the Knights failed to cleanly field a batted ball from Bela Duran.

The Lancers captured the lead in the sixth frame with another run.

Jeri Ellis sparked the Lancers with a leadoff double and Cassie Hayes picked up the go-ahead RBI with a hard single to second base.

Marian produced a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings but the Lancers would not be denied.

The Lancers had a pair of walks to start the extra frame and Gardinier edged Grace back into the lead with a sacrifice fly. Huff added two more runs with a two RBI single that gave the Lancers a 6-3 lead entering the bottom half of the inning.

The Knights were able to cut the deficit down by a run, but Grace held on for the 6-4 victory.

Huff picked up the win after pitching all eight innings for the Lancers with a pair of strikeouts. She was also dangerous with a bat in her hand as she had two and two RBIs.

In game two the Lancers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead before a weather lead momentarily halted the contest.

Duran added another tally to Grace's lead with a sacrifice fly and Tia O'Connor had a solo shot to push the Lancers' lead to 4-0 entering the fourth inning.

The Knights, who had just three hits through the first four innings, exploded for five runs in the fifth inning to vault into the lead. Marian added another marker in the sixth to extend their advantage to two runs.

The Lancers had a chance to draw even in the final frame as they loaded the bases with no outs, but Marian was able to survive the scare as they handed Grace the 6-4 defeat.

The Lancers will next be in action on Friday as they travel to Huntington. First pitch will be at 3 p.m.