GAMBIER, Ohio  – After the Kenyon College softball team's offense struggled in its game one loss to the Hiram College Terriers, game two took a dark turn toward the same fate. After the middle innings featured no scoring, the Ladies and Terriers combined for 13 runs in the final two innings in an exciting, back-and-forth finish capped off by Danielle Elizarraraz's walk-off, RBI single. Kenyon fought back to earn an 11-10 victory to conclude Friday's doubleheader with a split and a much-needed shift in momentum.

The Ladies found themselves in a 7-2 deficit heading into the bottom of the sixth inning where Haley Howard led off with a single, the first of six hits Kenyon put together in the frame. With two runners on, Chelsea Delaney delivered a laser shot that flew over the right field fence for a three-run home run. Down two runs at this point, the inning continued with an error and a single putting two on where Liz Paterra and Elizarraraz strung together back-to-back run-scoring singles to tie the game at seven.

The energy took a shift across the diamond in the top of the seventh when Jessica Bolanz hit her third home run of the day, a solo shot to center field, to help the Terriers retake the lead, 8-7. Teammate Janie Linger further dashed the Ladies' hopes with a two-run home run to increase their lead to three, but those who doubted Kenyon could come back a second time were severely disappointed.

Following Maddy Stark's leadoff single to begin the bottom of the seventh, Jamie Samuel put her fourth hit of the game down the right field line and into the corner allowing Stark to score from first. Terrier pitcher Taylor Miller retired two of the next three batters but walked two hitters to load the bases for Paterra. The sophomore drew a walk to move all runners ahead one base and make for a one-run game, 10-9. Elizarrarez stepped to the plate and on Miller's first pitch sent a rope through the middle of the infield, scoring one and tying the game. Pinch runner Hannah Smith was held at third but center fielder Sarah Loyer bobbled the ball while trying to pick it up on the run, prompting Smith to break for home. The throw came in late as Smith slid into home safely to score the winning run and begin a mauling on the plate to celebrate their 11-10 walk-off win.

Samuel was key in the victory as the senior pitched four scoreless innings after allowing six runs to the Terriers in the first stanza. In those four innings, she sat down Hiram in order twice and never faced more than four batters in an inning. She tossed 6.1 innings in the no-decision while Stark (12-3) took the win after closing out the seventh. At the dish, Samuel went a combined 6-for-7 with three runs scored on the day.

Delaney had a monstrous second game with two more home runs to add to her season numbers, now totaling six. The sophomore also hit a two-run home run to get the Ladies on the board in the first inning. She drove in six runs between the two games, five coming in the nightcap.

Game one was not as climatic for the Ladies, dropping a 9-4 decision in which they stranded nine runners on the bases, six in scoring position. Hiram posted five runs in the top of the fourth, led by Bolanz's first of two three-run homers in the game. She added the second in the sixth inning to help the Terriers out to a 9-3 lead before the Ladies put one more run on the board leading to the final score. Stark took the loss, just her third of the season.

The Ladies (17-10, 5-3 NCAC) will continue North Coast Athletic Conference play on Sunday, April 14 on the road against the Allegheny College Gators. The games were regularly scheduled for Saturday but due to incoming weather were moved. First pitch for Sunday's doubleheader will be at 1 p.m.