ST. LOUIS – [GAME 1 BOX] [GAME 2 BOX] The Spartans rallied from an early deficit twice Tuesday afternoon to come-from-behind and defeat Hannibal-LaGrange 5-4 in both games and begin conference play 2-0.

Game one served as not only the team's conference opener, but the home opener as well. The Spartans (10-10, 2-0) eventually brought the home crowd to its feet with a thrilling walk-off win courtesy of Meagan Elder. MBU used a three-run sixth inning to rally from an early 4-1 deficit before winning the game in extras,

Pam Diaz started the scoring with an RBI double to plate Shelby Poropat, who reached on an error to begin the inning. The next batter Andrea Chessor kept things going with an RBI sacrifice fly to bring home Chloe Jennings and cut the deficit to 4-3. MBU then took advantage of another Hannibal-LaGrange miscue to tie the game when a misplayed grounder brought home Diaz.

Elder doubled to start the seventh inning, but the Spartans couldn't bring her around to notch the win. However, thanks to Chessor's continued strong performance on the mound, MBU would get another chance to break the 4-4 tie in the eighth. The junior hurler blanked the Trojans (14-12, 2-4) in the final four innings to set up for MBU's late-inning heroics.

Payton Anderson singled with one out to put runners at first and second for Rachel Garcia. Garcia singled and Williams, the runner at second, came around to try and win the game, but was gunned down in a rundown. That put runners at second and third with two outs for Elder.

The freshmen went the opposite way to drop in a base hit right over the second baseman's head and give MBU the dramatic walk-off win. Anderson touched home plate to give the Spartans the 5-4 victory over the Trojans and a tough pitcher in Jordyn Alford. Chessor picked up the win for MBU and improved to 6-4 on the year with her eight strong innings. Five different Spartans batters notched multi-hit games.

Game two of the twin bill followed a familiar script. The Spartans used a three-run fourth inning to rally from a 4-1 deficit and defeat the Trojans 5-4. However, this time the Spartans didn't need extra innings to get things done.

Cierra Liddick got the start on the mound and pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the first inning. The Spartan offense then helped her out with an early 1-0 lead when Williams hit an RBI double into the gap to score Anderson in the first.

Liddick also danced out of trouble in the second, but Hannibal-LaGrange got to her for four runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Jolyn Lake entered in relief and got the final out of the third to stop the bleeding and keep MBU within striking distance.

Anderson got one of those runs back in the bottom half when she smashed her third home run of the season to left-center to cut the deficit to 4-2. A three-run fourth inning then gave the Spartans the lead for good.

Sierra Thompson brought MBU within a run with an RBI single to plate Garcia and Deanna Peters later stole home on a double steal to tie the game at 4-4. Then after a single from Chloe Jennings that put runners at the corners, Diaz came through with the eventual game-winning RBI when she singled home Thompson with one out.

Lake didn't allow a hit in her 2.2 innings of relief and then Chessor closed the door with 1.2 scoreless innings to preserve the win, including a 1-2-3 seventh inning. Rachel Garcia went 3-3 at the plate in game two to lead the way offensively for the navy and white.

The Spartans return to action tomorrow on Wednesday against Culver-Stockton College on the road. First pitch in the doubleheader is set for 3:00 pm.