Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
The Carthage College softball team (9-6, 1-1 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) opened its CCIW-schedule on Friday, April 9 by splitting a doubleheader with Wheaton College (Ill., 15-11, 1-3) at Leedy Field in Wheaton, Ill. Wheaton (Ill.) won the first game, 2-1, in 10 innings before Carthage came back to take the nightcap, 6-5, with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In the opening game, Wheaton scored in the third inning when Lesley Guenard doubled with two outs, stole third and scored on a single by Adrienne Munoz. Carthage tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Stephanie Schafer doubled with nobody out, advanced to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch. The Thunder loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning but were unable to push a run across. Wheaton won the game in the 10th inning. Megan Schrans doubled with one out, and the next batter, Jenna Lawrenz, singled to the left side. The throw from the outfield got by Carthage catcher Jenny Burke, allowing Schrans to score the winning run. Thunder starting pitcher Ainsley McCullough (8-6) went the distance for Wheaton and allowed one run on five hits and three walks over 10 innings, while striking out six batters. Carthage pitcher Kelsey Epping (6-1) also went the distance and lost her first game of the year. Epping surrendered two runs on 10 hits and two walks over nine and one-third innings and struck out 14 batters. Adrienne Munoz, Kati Iser and Lesley Guenard each had two hits apiece for Wheaton.
The two teams traded runs in the opening inning of the nightcap. Wheaton scored when Lauren Griffith doubled, stole second and scored on a single by Katie Iser. Carthage scored when Meghan Roman walked, stole second and scored on a single by Kari Peterson. The Thunder made it 2-1 in the third when Griffith singled, advanced to second on a grounder and scored on a single by Suzanne Teuben. The Lady Reds tied the game, 2-2, in the fourth on a solo home run by Katie Paulmeyer. Wheaton went back up, 4-2, in the sixth. Carthage got one run back in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI-grounder by Stephanie Hueramo. The Thunder's Lauren Griffith hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to give Wheaton a 5-3 lead. In the Carthage seventh, Heather Johnson singled with one out. Stephanie Noel singled, and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Kari Peterson doubled both runners home. Peterson moved up on a fly ball. Caris Alan, running for Peterson, scored the game-winning run on a single by Melissa Vitale. Peterson went two-for-four with three RBI. Pitcher Krystina Leazer started the game for the Lady Reds but gave way to Kelsey Epping in the sixth. Leazer allowed four runs on nine hits over five and one-third innings. Epping (7-1) picked up the win despite allowing one run in one and two-thirds innings. Ainlsey McCullough (8-7), in relief of Danielle Schmidt, took the loss.
On Sunday, April 11, the Lady Reds travel to Chicago to play conference-opponent North Park University (12-6, 0-0 CCIW) in Noon twinbill at the Holmgren Athletic Complex. Sunday's set was rained out on both Tuesday, April 6 and Wednesday, April 7 and then postponed again, due to cold weather, on Thursday, April 8.
