Stephens battled through a back-and-forth extra-inning game but ultimately fell 5-4 to Hannibal-LaGrange in 11 innings on Tuesday afternoon. After falling behind early, the Stars continued to respond throughout the game, forcing extra innings with timely hitting and strong situational play.

Hannibal-LaGrange took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Stephens answered in the fifth when Celeste Athon delivered an RBI double to tie the game. The Stars evened things again in the sixth, as Addison Flores and Elise Kendrick reached before Landry Bales drove in a run with a single to make it 2-2.

The game remained tight into the late innings, with Hannibal-LaGrange taking a 3-2 lead in the eighth before Kendrick responded with a solo home run to left field, tying the game at 3-3. Both teams were held scoreless in the ninth, sending the game into extra innings.

In the 10th, Hannibal-LaGrange plated a run on a sacrifice fly, but Stephens answered once again. After advancing a runner to third, Kendrick came through with a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 4-4 and extend the contest.

Hannibal-LaGrange regained the lead in the 11th with an RBI single, and Stephens was unable to respond in the bottom half despite advancing a runner into scoring position.

Stephens totaled 13 hits in the game, with Bales leading the way with three hits and an RBI. Kendrick added two hits and two RBIs, while Athon, Abby Schmidt, and Leanna Mitts each contributed multiple hits.

Katie Dennis pitched all 11 innings for the Stars, striking out eight and keeping Stephens in the game throughout.
 

Stephens bounced back in game two of the doubleheader, earning a 4-3 win over Hannibal-LaGrange in eight innings on Tuesday. The Stars used timely hitting and a strong performance in the circle to secure the extra-inning victory and split the day.

Stephens got on the board early in the second inning when Abby Schmidt launched a solo home run to center field for a 1-0 lead. Hannibal-LaGrange responded in the third, capitalizing on an error to even the score, before taking a 3-1 advantage in the sixth with a pair of runs.

The Stars answered immediately in the bottom of the sixth. Schmidt delivered again with her second home run of the game to cut the deficit to one, and later in the inning, Katie Dennis came through with an RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the game moved into extras where Stephens found the difference. In the bottom of the eighth, Morgan Ulrich delivered a clutch RBI single up the middle to bring home the winning run and give the Stars the 4-3 walk-off victory.

Stephens finished with 12 hits in the game, led by a perfect 4-for-4 performance from Schmidt, who also drove in two runs with her pair of home runs. Kyndal Vincent and Leanna Mitts each added two hits, while Ulrich and Dennis provided key RBIs late in the game.

Elise Kendrick earned the win in the circle, pitching all eight innings while allowing just three runs and striking out seven. Her steady performance kept Stephens within reach until the offense broke through late to secure the win.