GRINNELL – Grinnell rallied in the sixth inning of both games Sunday and pulled off an 8-1, 4-3 Midwest Conference South Division softball sweep over the Rams.

The second-place Pioneers (8-4 overall, 8-4 MWC) won the season series with Cornell, 3-1. With Sunday's two losses, the Rams (11-7 overall, 6-6 MWC) were eliminated from postseason contention.

The Rams and Pioneers were in a 1-1 battle through five innings of Game 1. With two outs and a runner on base, Grinnell strung together seven runs in the top of the sixth to break it open. The Pioneers had six hits in the decisive frame.

Cornell was held scoreless over the final six innings. The Rams' lone run came on a single by Claire Gugerty (SO/Morris, Ill.) that plated Marissa Faletti (JR/Oak Forest, Ill.). Cornell's batting lineup was limited to four singles in the contest.

Alyssa Pearson (SO/McHenry, Ill.) (7-4) was dealt the pitching loss, allowing eight runs over 5.2 innings.   

In Game 2, the Rams took a 3-2 lead into the sixth when the Pioneers again struck for the go-ahead runs. Grinnell tied it at 3-3 on a sacrifice fly and scored the winning run on a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth.

Darice Wheeler (SR/Evanston, Ill.) (4-3) went the distance in the pitching circle for Cornell, yielding three earned runs and striking out six.

Mady Rainey (FR/Huntley, Ill.) put the Rams ahead early with a two-run single in the bottom of the first. Mary Puffett (FR/Independence, Iowa) delivered an RBI double that scored Caitlin Babcock (FR/Mount Vernon, Iowa) in the third and gave Cornell a 3-2 advantage.

Grinnell outhit the Rams in the second game, 8-4.

Coming up – Cornell closes out the regular season with four games next weekend, starting with Saturday's 1 p.m. doubleheader at Knox (4-22, 3-11 MWC).