MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. - Grace College's softball team battled Mount Vernon in a pair of tightly contested games on Monday afternoon.

The Lancers (7-23, 1-5 Crossroads League) fell 6-5 in eight innings before an offensive showcase saw the Cougars top Grace 12-10.

MVNU jumped ahead 1-0 with a leadoff home run in the top of the second inning. Their lead was short lived though as Grace responded in the third frame.

Halle Nett had a leadoff single and Gabi Eberhart showed great discipline at the plate earning a full-count walk. Both players came in to score thanks to a Marly Coan double. Coan then scored on a wild pitch giving the Lancers a 3-1 lead.

Grace added another to their tally in the fourth frame when Lauren Kirkpatrick scored thanks to a sacrifice fly from Nett.

The Cougars answered back in the home half of the fourth inning with three runs to tie the game at four runs apiece.

Emma Hiss got on board to start the fifth inning with a walk and after working her way to third base, she scored on a Paige McCorkle RBI. The Lancers' one run advantage lasted until the seventh inning.

MVNU tied the game with one out in the seventh inning to force extra innings then singled in the winning run in the eighth inning when they were down to their final out to claim the 6-5 win.

Marly Coan led Grace with two hits while nine different players reached base safely for Grace.

In game two both offenses came out on fire, as the teams combined to score in the first five half frames of the contest.

Kirkpatrick had a bases-clearing double that scored Furches, McCorkle and Avery Sleeth to give Grace the early edge.

Not to be outdone the Cougars scored six of their own runs in the bottom of the first frame to double up the Lancers 6-3.

Emme Meyering and Coan each reached with walks and both came into score when Sleeth doubled to center field, cutting the deficit down to a single run.

MVNU added another run in the bottom of the second but the Lancers tied things up when they took to the plate in the third.

Furches was walked on four pitches before stealing second base. Two Lancers were then retired but Furches moved to third when Meyering singled to left. Both runners scored on consecutive batters pulling the game even at 7-7

The fourth and fifth frames went by without incident but the offense showed back up in the sixth. Grace jumped back into the lead thanks to a three-run bomb from Hiss whose home run over the left field fence pushed Grace ahead 10-7.

MVNU came back with five runs in the bottom of the inning, including four runs with two outs. It proved to be the final lead change of the game as the Cougars held on for the 12-10 win.

McCorkle and Furches each had two hits while Kirkpatrick and Hiss each recorded three RBIs.

Grace will be back in action on Tuesday with a road trip to Mishawaka to take on the Bethel Pilots.