PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College softball team took the last of five lead changes in a back-and-forth affair against Madison College, securing a 9-6 victory on Monday afternoon.
 
Harper (3-2, 3-2 N4C) pulled out the win thanks to a strong fifth inning in which they scored seven runs.  The Hawks went ahead for good on a two-run double from Paige Ward (Palatine, Ill., Conant) to bring home Jazlynn Skor (Barrington, Ill., Barrington) and Jessica Du Brock (Rosemont, Ill., East Leyden), who had two RBI of her own in addition to singles in the fifth and sixth innings.
 
In the circle, Ward racked up six strikeouts and allowed just one earned run, five hits and no walks over five innings.
 
In the top of the first, Madison grabbed an early 2-0 lead, but Harper answered right back in the bottom half of the inning, plating two runs on a fielder's choice and an error.  The WolfPack pushed across runs in the second and third but the Hawks' big fifth inning, highlighted by four run-scoring singles, proved to be the difference.
 
Two runs in the sixth helped Madison narrow the gap to 9-6, but Ward ended the threat with a flyout.
 
Up next, Harper faces Rock Valley on Friday in Rockford.  First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 PM.