KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team came off a Sunday evening doubleheader at North Park University that saw temperatures soar into the 70's without a cloud in the sky. The Lady Red's Tuesday-afternoon doubleheader against North Central College at the Carthage Softball Field was a 180-degree whirlwind compared to Sunday evening. Cold winds and clouds highlighted Carthage's Tuesday double-dip with the Cardinals.
 
The undesirable weather didn't play a factor in the Lady Red's 5-2 victory over North Central in game one as Katie Herron struck out eight batters in a complete-game effort. That was North Central's first CCIW-loss this season. The Lady Reds failed to capitalize again in a 7-2 game-two loss to the Cardinals.
 
The Lady Reds sit at 13-13, 5-5 CCIW while North Central owns a 15-11, 5-1 CCIW record.
 
Lady Reds 5, North Central College 2
 
Carthage lit the scoreboard first Sam McCloud and Alessia Knowski led-off the third inning with a double and walk respectively. Hailey Rothstein prevailed with a groundball, two-run double to left field that scored Knowski and McCloud to give the Lady Reds a 2-0 lead.
 
The Cardinals capitalized on a pair of Carthage errors and tied the game 2-2 in the fourth inning.
 
Darian Pelsor led-off the sixth inning with a walk, followed by Abby Thompson's executed bunt single to the right side to put runners on first and second base. Shannon Walsh and Jennifer Michuda served as the pinch runners, and eventually scored on a Vivian-Juarez double to the left field fence to give Carthage a 4-2 lead.
 
Juarez made the score 5-2 when she scored on McCloud's single to center field in the sixth inning.
 
Herron surrendered zero earned runs and scattered two hits in the complete-game victory. Her no-hit bid came to a halt in the fourth inning when Jenna Trojinar led-off with a single. McCloud led the Lady Red sluggers with a three-for-four day at the plate.
 
North Central College 7, Lady Reds 3
 
Andrea Starr led-off the second inning with a single and came around to score on Sarah Esposito's single to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
 
The third inning proved to be the nail in the coffin for Carthage as North Central tallied three runs en route to a 4-0 lead. Amanda Walker's sacrifice fly scored Rachele Belletini from third base to make the score 2-0 before Starr's two-run home run made things 4-0.
 
Amy Goldsmith relieved Herron in the pitching circle after the third inning.
 
The Lady Reds got their feet from underneath them in the fifth inning when Knowski doubled and came around to score on Kristine Herdegen's double to narrow the Lady Red margin to 5-1. Brooke Kehoe poured more salt on the Lady Red wound with a two-run home run in the sixth inning to make the score 7-1.
 
The Lady Reds responded with a run in each the sixth and seventh inning, but it wasn't enough in a 7-3 loss.
 
Rothstein led the Lady Reds with a two-for-four day at the plate. Herron and Goldsmith each notched three innings of work on the pitching rubber and collectively scattered nine hits.
 
Carthage will return to the Carthage Softball Field tomorrow, April 20 against UW-Oshkosh. The doubleheader is schedule to begin at 3:00 p.m.