The Carthage College softball team (9-13, 2-2 College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin) split a Wednesday, April 8 non-conference doubleheader with Carroll University (Wis., 13-7).  The Lady Reds won the first game, 9-4, before losing the nightcap by a 12-2 margin in five innings.
 
In the opener, Carthage opened up a 6-2 lead after four innings, thanks in part to a three-run triple by Becky Cronk (Sr., Bolingbrook, Ill.) in the fourth.  The Lady Reds added three runs in the seventh en route to a 9-4 decision.  Cronk went two-for-three with three RBI to back the pitching of Darian Pelsor (So., Villa Park, Ill./Willowbrook, 2-0).  Pelsor allowed four runs, two earned, on 10 hits and two walks.  Natalie Ruechel (8-5) took the loss.
 
In the nightcap, the Pioneers scored three times in the second inning, five times in the third and four times in the fourth.  Carroll collected 13 hits off losing pitcher Jessica Kirby (So., Bartlett, Ill., 3-6).  Kelly Sykes had three hits and three RBI, with Micah Clutter and Abigail Herling also driving in three runs each.  Baylea Meredith (5-1) was the winning pitcher.
 
The Lady Reds travel to Rock Island, Ill., on Saturday, April 11 to play a 1 p.m. conference-doubleheader with No. 18 Augustana College (Ill., 17-6-1, 1-1 CCIW) at Carver Field.