DENVER – SLOANE HILL had a career day, KATIE DILLON made her season debut, and the St. Edward's bats came alive in the second game of the doubleheader as softball split its doubleheader against MSU-Denver. 
 
Game 1: MSU-Denver 4, St. Edward's 3
 
St. Edward's softball rallied from a 3-0 deficit over the final two innings but surrendered a walk-off double in the seventh for a 4-3 loss to MSU-Denver in the first game of the doubleheader. 
 
MSU-Denver struck first in the bottom of the first when a two-out error set up an RBI single from Miah Hartvigsen to get the Roadrunners on the board. Kami Grammerstorf added another run in the second on an RBI single to third. 
 
Both teams went scoreless over the new few innings until Hannah DiBaio hit a two-out solo blast to center for the 3-0 lead. 
 
SLOANE HILL sparked the Hilltoppers in the sixth with a leadoff single up the middle. HAILEY SONKA pinch ran for Hill and advanced to second on a groundout from JERZIE PELHAM, then scored on an RBI double from LISETTE URQUIDEZ. LAUREN HOYT pinch-ran for Urquidez, and AUDRI CASTILLO drove her in on a shot to center to pull St. Edward's to within 3-2. 
 
KATIE DILLON came up with a clutch hit in her season debut, delivering a one-out triple to left field, then tying the game on MEGAN MORRIS's sacrifice fly. 
 
DiFabio drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning, stole second, and scored on Grammerstorf's walk-off double to right field. 
 
Dillon hit 2-for-3 with a walk in her season debut, scoring a run. Hill, Hoyt, and Urquidez each had a hit. CADIE BELLE CURRIE (L, 1-4) pitched all seven innings for St. Edward's, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. 
 
Game 2: St. Edward's 12, MSU-Denver 9
 
SLOANE HILL broke out with a 4-for-5 performance, driving in five RBI and scoring, and the Hilltoppers scored a season-high 12 runs on 18 hits to split the doubleheader. 
 
St. Edward's struck first on Sloan Hill's leadoff blast to center in the second inning for the 1-0 lead for her first career home run. Hill carried the momentum into the third inning with a two-RBI double to center, driving in AUDRI CASTILLO and KATIE DILLON, who hit back-to-back singles. 
 
Grammerstor continued to be a thorn in the side of the Hilltoppers with a solo blast in the bottom of the third, and DiFabio added another home run in the fourth to cut St. Edward's lead to 3-2. 
 
Hill added to her career day with another RBI single through the left side in the fifth, scoring HAILEY SONKA, who was pinch-running for AUDRI CASTILLO after the latter led off with a double down the right-field line. 
 
MSU-Denver's Aaliyah Arellano answered in the bottom of the inning, driving in Hartvigsen with a drive to center. 
 
The Hilltoppers opened the sixth with back-to-back hits, getting a leadoff double down the left-field line from DeSerrano and then an infield single by CHARLOTTE NUCCIO. LISETTE URQUIDEZ pinch-hit for ARIANNA VIDALES and delivered an RBI double to right-center, ending Natalie Romero's afternoon. 
 
Dillon greeted relief pitcher Maddy Wilson with a two-RBI single, Castillo walked, and Hill drove in her fifth RBI on her fourth hit with a single. MEGAN MORRIS followed with a two-RBI single to right field, bringing the Hilltoppers through the entire batting order before MSU-Denver ended the inning. 
 
MSU-Denver turned to its bench and got a two-run home run from Jaiden Geist, ending KYLEN PADGETT's afternoon. MAKENNA HOLLOWAY replaced her and walked two, surrendering a sacrifice fly to Hartvigsen, then an RBI single up the middle to Genevieve Bower, who scored on an error after an Adriana Bueno single to pull within 10-8. 
 
Castillo added a two-RBI double in the seventh, and the Hilltoppers ended the game with a double play in the bottom of the inning. 
 
Dillon was solid for a second game, hitting 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Nuccio hit 2-for-3, and Castillo, ARIANNA VIDALES, and LAUREN HOYT were each 2-for-4. St. Edward's improves to 2-6 and will play a doubleheader tomorrow against Colorado Christian. Padgett earns her first win of the season, striking out four with five earned runs over five innings.