DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College softball team (11-7, 4-2 CC) dropped a pair of non-conference games against Hillsdale College (8-9) at the Erskine Softball Complex on Monday afternoon. Hillsdale pulled way late to win Game 1 by a score of 12-4, and a late rally from Chargers gave them a 9-7 win in Game 2.

THE ESSENTIALS 
Conf. Carolinas Standings | Stats | Scores
Div. II Scores | Record Book | CC Digital Network
 
THE SERIES
Monday marked the first ever meetings between the Fleet and the Chargers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1: After Chloe Hamilton pitched a scoreless first inning, the Erskine offense got on the board immediately. Sydney McInnis drew a one-out walk and came around to score as the Fleet took an early 1-0 lead. Hillsdale answered back with a pair of runs in the second inning, but a McInnis RBI double tied the game at two after three innings. The Fleet regained the lead the following inning with a Haley Knox run-scoring single and then Tori Cooley drove in another run moments later on an RBI groundout as Erskine took a 4-2 lead. The lead did not last, though, as the Chargers responded with two runs of their own in the fifth inning and plated three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to take Game 1, 10-4.
 
GAME 2: Kali Morton got the start for Erskine in Game 2 and put up scoreless first and second innings, while the Erskine offense got off to another good start. A Parker Birch run-scoring single in the bottom of the first opened the scoring, and Ellison Garren tallied an RBI single of her own in the second inning as the Fleet jumped out to an early 2-0 lead. But, Hillsdale broke through for three runs in the third inning and took their first lead of the game. The Fleet got a run right back to tie the game at three, and Erskine lineup exploded in the fourth inning. McInnis ripped an RBI triple to right field to score Mariah Yoder as Erskine took the lead, and then Shi Cain followed with a single to plate McInnis. Then, with two outs, Katie Hunter delivered a two-run single as the Fleet had a 7-3 lead after four innings. But, Hillsdale scored twice in the fifth and four times in the sixth to regain the lead, and the Erskine offense was held quiet through the final three innings as the Chargers won Game 2, 9-7. 

THE PLAYER
GAME 1: Sydney McInnis was 1-for-3 with an RBI double, a run scored, and walk for the Fleet.
 
GAME 2: Sydney McInnis went 2-for-3, scored a pair of runs, and a drove in a run, including an RBI triple in the fourth inning. Faith Belue also had a multi-hit game for Erskine, including a double in the second inning.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Erskine concludes a 16-game home stretch on Saturday with a doubleheader against conference foe Mount Olive (10-6, 4-0 CC). The Fleet have a narrow 12-11 advantage all-time against the Trojans and the teams split a doubleheader at Mount Olive in their last meeting back in 2019.

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