Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Carthage College softball team (12-20, 4-8 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) was swept by CCIW-opponent and No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan University (29-7, 8-2 CCIW), 7-1 and 4-3, the latter in 10 innings, on Sunday, April 26 at the Carthage Softball Field in Kenosha, Wis.
 
In the opening game, Illinois Wesleyan took a 3-0 lead in the third, with the big hit a two-run single by Danielle Smith.  Carthage's Darian Pelsor doubled in a run in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1.  That double left base runners on second and third with one out, but Titan pitcher Jenna Noland struck out Lauren Jones and Makenzie Walker to end the inning.  Danielle Smith connected on a two-run homer in the fifth to put Illinois Wesleyan up, 5-1.  The Titans added two more runs in the seventh to make it a 7-1 game.  Carthage loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but IWU reliever Mackenzie Marquis got Olivia Scott on a swinging strikeout to end the game.
 
Jenna Noland (6-1) was the winning pitcher.  She allowed just one run on five hits and walk, while striking out 10 batters over six innings.  Darian Pelsor (So., Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook, 3-3) was the losing pitcher and gave up three runs on three hits and a walk over four innings.  Pelsor also went two-for-three with an RBI
 
Illinois Wesleyan took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the nightcap on an RBI-double by Laura Bonds.  Another RBI-double, this one by Cassidy Tarpey in the second made it 2-0, but Kate Lelek's sole home run in the fourth cut the lead to 2-1.  The Lady Reds tied the game, 2-2, in the fifth on an RBI-double by Becky Cronk.  Carthage took a 3-2 lead in the sixth on a bases-loaded, sacrifice fly by Makenzie Walker, but a solo home run by Mary Rankin to lead off the bottom half re-tied the game at 3-3.
 
That's the way things stayed until the bottom of the 10th inning when the Titans scored the winning run.  Laura Bonds led off the inning with a single back to the mound.  A sacrifice bunt moved her to second, and with two outs, Chloe Montgomery singled to right, scoring Bonds with the game-winning run.
 
Mackenzie Marquis (8-1), in relief of Montgomery, picked up the win.  Marquis allowed just one run over the final five inning on two hits and four walks.  Darian Pelsor (3-4) took the loss, as Carthage managed only five hits on the two Titan pitchers.
 
Carthage plays host to conference-opponent Millikin University (14-22, 3-9 CCIW) in a Monday, April 27 twinbill at the Carthage Softball Field in Kenosha, Wis., beginning at 1 p.m. 

In order to qualify for the CCIW Softball Tournament, Carthage needs to sweep Monday's Millikin doubleheader, and the Lady Reds need Augustana College (Ill., 23-12-1, 5-7 CCIW) to lose both ends of a Tuesday doubleheader to North Park University (6-30, 2-10).  Carthage lost both games to Augustana (Ill.) earlier this month, and should the two teams finish in a tie, the Vikings would earn the fourth seed in the tournament.