DONALDSON, Ind. – It wasn’t easy beating the last place Chargers, but then again it wasn’t that easy for the defending national champs either. Just one week ago, Ancilla upended the 15^th ranked Jayhawks 5-4 at the Chargers beautiful home field, and they almost stole one or two from the Raiders as well.

The Raiders, now winners of five of their last six, won game one 4-3 and fought back from a 2-0 deficit in game two to win 8-3.   They are still in the hunt for postseason, but they might not find out if they qualify until Saturday afternoon.

The Ancilla pitchers made it pretty tough for the good hitting GRCC squad as the Raiders managed just six hits in the 12 o’clock opener and five hits in game two. Small ball played a huge part of the Raider success along with some timely base hits and late game defense.

Ashley Raap (9-11) got her sixth straight start on the mound and pitched another great game, allowing just six hits and no earned runs. She also had four strikeouts and walked just one batter. The sophomore, who could have pitched her last career game at GRCC, has now won three of her past four decisions.  

Adrienne Palmer finally reached first on a muffed ball by the Chargers first basemen after Emily Steele retired the first eight Raiders of the ball game. Kellen Dewey got the first official Raider hit on the next pitch from Steele, advancing Palmer to third, and the two out rally continued. Two pitches later sophomore Marlene Packer lined a single to right center scoring Palmer and putting runners back on the corners. After a steal by Packer, a passed ball would score Dewey and the Raiders would lead 2-0 going in to the bottom of the third.

Puff would retire her 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th batters in a row and in the top of the fourth the Raiders small ball would pay off with a couple more runs giving her a 4-0 cushion. 

The wild 4^th inning started off with Brittany Frye reaching on a throwing error by the shortshop. After a stolen base by Frye, Jessica Kohloff tried to bunt her over to third, but she got more than she bargained for. Kohloff reached on a bunt single and the second basemen, who was covering first, dropped the ball and Frye would come around to score. After a steal by Kohloff and still no outs, freshman Allie Annese dropped a bunt single of her own to put runners on the corners. A third straight sac-bunt attempt didn’t go as planned though as Karli Showers was thrown out at first and then caught Kohloff trying to go home. After the double play, Puff lined a single to right to score Annese, making it a 4-0 ball game.

The Chargers scored three unearned runs on a few hits and a couple Raider miscues in the bottom of the fourth, making it just a one run game.

Steele retired the next seven Raiders and allowed no runs the rest of the way, but her team couldn’t muster up any more runs of their own.

Ancilla wasn’t going to go down easily though. Center fielder Tricia Dillon ripped a single up the middle to start the bottom of the seventh. Ancilla coach Scott Reese decided to put Dillon in scoring position, but the number batter couldn’t get the job done. On her 2^nd attempt, she popped up a bunt to Showers who threw it to Annese for the massive double play! Two batters later, the Chargers catcher flew out to deep left to end the game.

In game two it was the Chargers to strike first. Brenna Donahue walked Steele to lead off the bottom half of the 2^nd inning and a wild pitch put her at 2^nd base. Designated player Allison Chiles grounded out to short but Alison Iuelle checked the runner and Steele stayed on second. Dillon nearly advanced Steele on the Chargers next at bat, but right fielder Brittany Frye made a beautiful catch down the right field line. A Raider error put runners on the corners and the leadoff hitter to the plate. Another wild pitch followed by a throwing error by the catcher, made it a 2-0 Charger lead after two completed innings. 

The bottom of the lineup came through for the Raiders in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half. Donahue singled threw the right side and advanced to second on a stolen base. Palmer followed her other half of the battery by ripping the 6^th pitch of her at bat to right center scoring Donahue and finally getting the Raiders on the score board.

The Raiders added two more runs in the top of the 4^th inning to regain the lead, 3-2, but two innings later the Chargers stuck back with a single to right center which was nearly snagged by a diving Brittany Frye That hit tied the game, but the Raiders would rally back in the top of the sixth.

Just as they did in game one, the Raiders used small ball to produce a few more runs. Four straight batters went to the box and bunted and it resulted in two runs. With two outs, Dewey (2 RBI single to right center) and Packer (RBI double to right) gave the Raiders three more insurance runs.

Donahue (3-1) finished off the Chargers in the sixth and seventh and her team wound up 8-3 winners. The freshman pitcher allowed no earned runs, while striking out four, and giving up just four base hits.

The Raiders will await the outcome of Friday and Saturday’s game to see if they qualify for regionals or not. GRCC finished out the conference season going 14 and 14, while the Chargers finished just 2 and 26.