Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Carthage College softball team (13-9, 4-4 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) split a Wednesday, April 16 doubleheader with CCIW-opponent and No. 16 North Central College (23-5, 6-2 CCIW) at the Carthage Softball Field in Kenosha, Wis.  The Lady Reds won the first game, 2-0, before losing the nightcap, 6-5.  The split leaves Carthage in fourth place in the CCIW, trailing North Central (Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University and Augustana College (Ill.), each with 6-2 league marks.
 
Carthage took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the opener when Vicki Pyan doubled off the left-center fence and scored on a single to the right side Katie Morman.  Makenzie Walker singled in a run in the fifth to give the Lady Reds a 2-0 lead.  That was more than enough support for Makenzie Walker (Fr., Kenosha, Wis./Bradford, 5-2), who twirled a two-hitter over seven innings and walked just one batter.  Andrea Starr (10-2) took the loss.  Alyse Mikolas (Sr., Kenosha, Wis./Bradford) led the Lady Reds by going two-for-two.
 
In the nightcap, Carthage took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Katie Morman scored from second base on an error by Cardinals second baseman Taylor Ryan.  In the bottom of the second, Carthage shortstop Katie Morman dropped an infield fly, allowing Amanda Walker to reach base.  A double by Carly Trenhaile sent Walker to third, and a doubled by Vlasta Mangia scored both runner for a 2-1 North Central lead.  The Lady Reds re-gained the lead in the third on a two-run home run by Katie Morman (Sr., Kenosha, Wis./Somers-Shoreland Lutheran).  The Lady Reds added another run in the third when Abby Hanson scored from first base on a single by Darian Pelsor and a throwing error by North Central rightfielder Vlasta Mangia.
 
The Cardinals took a 6-4 lead in the fourth on a pair of home runs off Makenzie Walker, who also started game two.  Carly Trenhaile led off with a solo shot, and Cecie Portillo launched a three-run homer just inside the left field foul pole.  Carthage got a run back in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Vicki Pyan, and that closed out the scoring.
 
Bri Kiel (5-0) was the winning North Central pitcher despite giving up five runs on seven hits over four innings.  Vlasta Mangia blanked Carthage on no hits and a walk over the final three innings to earn her first save.  Makenzie Walker (5-3) took the loss.  Katie Morman led the Lady Reds with two hits in four trips and two RBI.
 
Carthage plays host to conference-opponent Elmhurst College (9-9, 1-5 CCIW) on Thursday, April 17 in a 3 p.m. doubleheader, also at the Carthage Softball Field.