Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MISHAWAKA, Ind. - Grace College's softball team completed a two game sweep over Crossroads League rival Bethel, on Tuesday afternoon.

Grace (4-7, 3-3 CL) won the first game of the day 4-3 in an 11 inning affair. The Lancers carried the momentum into game two, picking up a 4-1 decision.

Game one of the afternoon's doubleheader proved to be a defensive marathon.

Jeri Ellis got the Lancers started with a leadoff single, and a one out double from Bree Gardinier had both players in scoring position.

Despite threatening with just one out, the next two Grace batters were sent down in order as the Pilots (1-15, 0-6 CL) escaped unscathed.

Ellis got the start in the circle for the Lancers and was dominant across the first three innings. The senior pitcher didn't allow a baserunner while striking out two and forcing a plethora of ground outs.

Montana Brinks singled in the second inning and Carly Ruiz did likewise in the third but Grace could not find the offense to push across a run.

The Pilots finally got a hit with a fourth inning single and quickly followed it up with a double to put runners on second and third with just one out.

However, Ellis showed her veteran poise and forced the next two Bethel batters into a pair of shallow ground balls that failed to produce a run as the game entered the fifth inning in a scoreless tie.

Both offenses went quite over the next five innings, with neither squad able to figure out the opposition's pitcher.

In the tenth inning the deadlock would finally be broken. Grace Swangin started the inning on second base due to the international tie-breaker rule.

Swangin scored the first run of the afternoon when Ellis helped her own cause with an RBI single. Ruiz then moved Ellis to third base with a double into left center.

Cassie Hayes reached first after a hard line drive misplayed the Pilots defense. Ellis would score on the play to move the Lancers' advantage to 2-0.

Tia O'Connor added the final RBI of the inning when Kali Kahalekomo scored from second base when Hayes hit a line drive over the head of the shortstop into shallow left-center field. Grace ended the top of the tenth inning up 3-0.

The scoring would not come to a close however, as the Pilots responded with three runs of their own to once again extend the game.

In the 11th inning Grace would score the deciding run. After starting at second base, Avery Sleeth would move to third after Bella Duran laid down a bunt. Abbie Rymers then collected the RBI with a ground ball that brought Sleeth home to score.

In the home half of the inning the Pilots would move their runner to third base with one out, but Ellis recorded the final two outs via a strikeout and a ground out to complete the 4-3 win for Grace.

Ellis pitched all 11 innings in the win racking up seven strikeouts, while also producing two hits and an RBI at the plate.

In the second game the Lancers survived an early scare. The Pilots loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning but Kirsten Fickas picked up her second strikeout of the inning to get out of the jam.

Grace's bats were quiet through the first two innings, but came alive in the top of the third.

Rymers worked a walk to start the inning off and Ellis continued her stellar afternoon with a one-out double. Taylor Hodgen then scored both players with a double into center field that narrowly missed clearing the fence, to give Grace the 2-0 lead.

The Lancers struck again in the fourth inning. O'Connor scored off a hit from Duran to push the Lancers' lead to 3-0.

Grace's lead grew to 4-0 in the top of the fifth inning when Cassie Hayes doubled in Hodgen.

The Lancers' held the Pilots without a baserunner in fourth, fifth and sixth innings as they carried a four-run lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Bethel would not go quietly into the night though, as the Pilots used a single and a pair of walks to load the bases with one out.

Bethel drew blood with a deep sacrifice fly to bring home one run, but they could get any closer as the Lancers held on for the 4-1 win to sweep the doubleheader.

Fickas picked up the complete game victory in game two.

For the afternoon, Ellis finished with three hits and a run and an RBI. Hodgen had two hits and a pair of RBI's.

Grace will be back in action on Wednesday as they travel to No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.