Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 The Carthage College softball team (4-0, 0-0 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin), ranked 16th in the 2013 pre-season National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, opened its 2013 season by going 4-0 at the Friday-Saturday, Feb. 22-23 Finlandia University “Superior Dome Tournament” at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Mich. 

On Friday, Feb. 22, Carthage edged Wisconsin-La Crosse (1-0), 1-0, before out-slugging Wisconsin-Stevens Point (0-1) by a 12-5 margin.  On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Lady Reds defeated Loras College (0-1), 11-3, before nipping Concordia University (Wis., 0-1) in an 11-10 slugfest.
 
In the win over Wisconsin-La Crosse, Carthage pitcher Krystina Leazer (Sr., Des Plaines, Ill./Elk Grove) picked right up from she left off in 2012 by twirling a one-hit shutout, walking two batters and striking out eight.  A leadoff singled to Emily Holldorf in the fourth inning was the only blemish for Leazer.  The Lady Reds scored their lone run in the fourth when Vicki Pyan (Jr., Crystal Lake, Ill./South) singled, advanced to second on a ground ball, moved up to third on a double steal and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryanna Heckel.  Pyan went three-for-three.  Eagles starting pitcher Lauren Beres (0-1) took the hard-luck loss despite allowing just one run on six hits and seven strikeouts.
 
In the 12-5 win over Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Carthage scored three runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings and pounded out 14 hits off two Pointer pitchers.  Olivia Scott (So., Plainfield, Ill./Central) went three-for-four, homered twice and drove in four runs.  Vicki Pyan and Abby Hanson also hit home runs.  Krystina Leazer (2-0), in relief of Tina Campbell (Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood), was the beneficiary.  Leazer allowed one run on two hits over the final three and one-third innings.  Pointers starting pitcher Michelle Jones (0-1) took the loss.
 
Krystina Leazer (3-0) was the starting pitcher and winner against Loras.  She allowed three runs, all earned, on seven hits and a walk, while striking out 11 batters.  The Lady Reds scored five times in the second inning, capped by a two-run single by Abby Hanson (Jr., Winthrop Harbor, Ill./Zion-Benton Township), to take a 6-0 lead over the Duhawks.  Hanson, who went three-for-four with three RBI, added a solo home run in the fourth inning.  Kellie Klein (0-1), the first of three Loras hurlers, took the loss. 
 
Carthage broke a 3-3 tie in with a four-run fifth inning in the Concordia (Wis.) contest.  Katie Morman (Jr., Kenosha, Wis./Somers-Shoreland Lutheran) singled in the go-ahead run, and one batter later, Alyse Mikolas (Jr., Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) connected on a three-run home run to put the Lady Reds up, 7-3.  Leading 11-5 in the seventh, things got interesting, as the Falcons scored five times off relievers Alyse Mikolas and Krystina Leazer.  Alyssa Robison hit a three-run triple off Leazer, and Sara Skarda added a sacrifice fly before Leazer got Lexi Wagner on a swinging strikeout to end the game.  Tina Campbell (1-0) picked up the win, with Leazer being credited with the save.  Mikolas went three-for-four with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBI.  Melissa Perkins (0-1) took the loss for Concordia (Wis.) and surrendered all 11 runs.

Krystina Leazer, Alyse Mikolas and Abby Hanson were named to the all-tournament team.  Weather permitting, Carthage plays host to St. Mary's College (Ind.) in a Tuesday, March 19 doubleheader at the Carthage Softball Field, beginning at 3 p.m.