GRANVILLE, Ohio - May 8, 2025 - Seventh-inning drama tends to be more commonplace in elimination games, when the stakes are high and both teams are fighting to survive.

The chaos unfolded in Denison's favor on Thursday evening at Denison Softball Field.

Despite holding a 4-1 entering the seventh inning, Hiram fell just inches away from victory in a 6-5 loss to the top-seeded Big Red.

In the top of the seventh, with Denison batting, three unearned runs came across to score in what shaped out to be a five-run seventh inning for the tourney hosts. The Big Red took a 6-4 lead and ended a remarkable postseason debut for Lillie Greene, who finished with an impressive final line of 6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.

Hiram wouldn't go down without one last rally, as the team strung together five hits in the home half of the seventh inning, three of which came with two outs. Hannah Marlow singled to put runners at the corners with two outs before Haven Papineau continued the inning with an RBI single down the third-base line.

Kayla Prigge followed with another single to load the bases and put the tying run at third base and the game-winning run at second base. First-year Ari Torres then roped a line drive in the direction of the right-field grass, but first baseman Jacqui Abogado reacted quickly and made a game-saving catch to end the game in heartbreaking fashion.

The loss brings another record-setting season to a close for the Terriers, who extended a program record with their fifth straight season of 20+ wins. It also marks the end to the careers of Kanno and Fayth Kawamura, who each have been part of four of those seasons, leading the team and piling up the individual accolades along the way.

Hiram will return to competition in the spring of 2026, when the team returns to PAC competition for the first time since 1989.