GRINNELL, Iowa – After losing via the mercy rule in the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader, the Grinnell College softball team needed to respond in a big way. 
 
Mission accomplished. 
 
The Pioneers clawed their way into extra innings and then won in the bottom of the ninth when Lizzy Vermeulen's '24 RBI single to left-center secured the 6-5 victory over Midwest Conference South Division rival Cornell College. 
 
Christin Hartman '24 put in a full day's work in the circle, pitching a complete game while improving to 3-1 on the season. Taylor Durak '24 led the offense with four hits, while Vermeulen had three. 
 
Cornell gained a 3-0 lead through three innings before Samantha Chu '24 scored on a wild pitch and Kami Anson '24 had an RBI groundout to first to bring the Pioneers within one. Grinnell took the lead the next inning when Leila Bishop-Parise '21 plated a run on a groundout and Chu had an RBI single to center. 
 
The Rams forced extra innings with a run in the fifth and went up with a tally in the eighth. But Grinnell kept the game going when Alexa Okada '24 hit an RBI single to second in the bottom of the eighth. 
 
After holding Cornell scoreless in the top of the ninth, Grinnell went to work when Durak doubled off the right-field fence with one out. She took third when Anson reached on an error before Vermeulen delivered the game-winning hit to send Grinnell to 5-3 both in the MWC South Division and overall. Cornell is 4-2 in the league and 9-3 in all games. 
 
Cornell won the opener 11-3 with the aid of 11 hits. Grinnell fell behind 5-0 before an error and an RBI on a sacrifice by Webb made it 5-2 in the fourth inning. The Pioneers scored again in the fifth on Okada's RBI infield single. However, the Rams took off from there on their way to the win. 
 
Durak was the pitcher of record for Grinnell. 
 
The Pioneers return to the diamond Sunday when Monmouth College visits for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.