The Hopkinton High School softball team rallied from a six-run deficit, taking a one-run lead after three consecutive home runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Malden Catholic fought back and eliminated the host Hillers with a 12-11 decision Wednesday evening in a Division 1 second-round state tournament game.

Hopkinton, the seventh seed, ends a memorable season with a record of 18-4. Malden Catholic, seeded 10th, improves to 19-3 and advances to play Central Catholic in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Caroline Ozmun led Hopkinton’s offense, reaching base four times and collecting four RBI — two coming on a two-run home run in the sixth. That drew the Hillers within a run at 10-9. Addy Walls followed with a blast over the fence in center, tying the score. Malden Catholic changed pitchers, but the slugging didn’t stop. Bridget Roleke took a low pitch and sent it to deep center. It hit the top of the fence and bounced over it for an 11-10 lead.

With its lead having evaporated, Malden Catholic rebounded to regain the lead in the seventh. Emma Hollingsworth led off with a doubled to the fence in left. After an out and two walks (the first intentional), the bases were loaded with one out. Chloe O’Neil then hit a fly out to center. The throw home was right on target, but it hit the runner and deflected up the first base line, allowing a second run to score.

Hopkinton put two runners on base in the seventh as Ava Davenport (two-run home run, single and two walks) singled and Ozmun was intentionally walked, but the Hillers could not push home the tying run. The game ended on a fly out to deep left.

Hopkinton’s defense was not as sharp as usual, and that was costly from the first inning on. Malden Catholic opened the scoring when Emma Hollingsworth hit a leadoff triple and scored when Kallie Intoppo, the next hitter, grounded out to short. Lyla Hollinsworth (Emma’s twin sister) then singled and took second on a throwing miscue. One out later, she stole third and took home when the throw to third went awry.

Hopkinton looked like it was going to have a big inning in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with none out courtesy of a Davenport walk and singles by Elena Valis and Zoe LeVine (two-run triple, single and two walks). Ozmun then was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run. However, the Hillers could not notch another run in the frame.

Malden Catholic had a big second inning, which started with a walk, strikeout, single and fielder’s choice error that loaded the bases. Intoppo grounded to the pitcher, and Elyn Stomberg fired home to get the second out and prevent a run. However, Lyla Hollingsworth then ripped a two-run single to center and took second when the Hillers lost sight of her. After a hit batter, O’Neil cleared the bases when she lined a ball that deflected off the right fielder’s glove, giving the visitors a 7-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Callie Arthur and Davenport sandwiched walks around a groundout. One out later, Le Vine lined a ball to left that eluded the fielder and reached the fence. Two runs scored as Le Vine ended up with a triple. Ozmun then crushed a ball to center that one-hopped the fence, ending up with a long single as Le Vine scored. Addy Walls singled to center, but the visitors cut down the lead runner at third to end the frame up 7-4.

In the third, after a strikeout and a walk, Emma Hollingsworth hit a grounder to short, but the throw to second was off the mark, and the visitors had runners at the corners with one out. After a walk, Lyla Hollingsworth hit a sacrifice fly to right. With runners on second and third, Stomberg escaped further damage with a clutch strikeout.

In the bottom of the third, Roleke opened with a single. Stomberg walked and was replaced by courtesy runner Ella Tedstone. Arthur then smoked a single to right. When the right fielder threw to first, Roleke raced home. However, Tedstone was thrown out at third and Arthur got caught in a pickle heading to second and was tagged out. With two outs and the bases now empty, Kate Riesenberger drilled a triple to the fence in center. Davenport followed with a two-run home run over the fence in right to get the hosts within a run at 8-7.

After a scoreless fourth, Malden Catholic added to its lead in the fifth via a two-run home run to left by Lyla Hollingsworth, setting up the dramatic finish.