CHICAGO, ILL.—The final stretch of the 2016 season stands in front of the Carthage College softball team. The Lady Reds began the final week of the season with a non-conference doubleheader at the University of Chicago on Monday afternoon.
 
A pair of losses at #11 Illinois Wesleyan on April 23 put Carthage in a three-way tie for fourth place with North Park University and Augustana College in the CCIW standings. The University of Chicago plays an independent schedule and are coming off a 5-0 and 1-0 sweep of Hope College on April 21.
 
The Lady Reds dug themselves out of a 5-0 hole in game one, but couldn't get over the edge in a 7-4 loss. Game two proved to be the same result as Carthage fell 8-0 to the Maroons.
 
The Lady Reds fall to 16-18, 5-7 CCIW while the University of Chicago improves to 21-6.
 
University of Chicago 7, Lady Reds 4
 
The Maroons touched the Lady Reds for three first-inning runs to take a 3-0 lead. Kristen Lopez notched her second double of the game in the third inning, which came of the two-run variety to extend the University of Chicago lead to 5-0.
 
The Lady Reds got their feet from underneath them in the fifth inning. Vivian Juarez led off the fifth frame with a single before she reached second base on a Maroon error. Makenzie Walker reached on an error, and Kristine Herdegen walked to load the bases. With the bases loaded, Hailey Rothstein was hit by a pitch, which scored Juarez to narrow the University of Chicago lead to 5-1.
 
Darian Pelsor provided the spark Carthage needed with a three-run double that scored Rothstein, Herdegen and Walker to cut the margin to 5-4.
 
That's all the gas Carthage had in the tank as Jordan Poole hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to help the Maroons secure a 7-4 victory.
 
Pelsor and Juarez each tallied two hits in the game for the Lady Reds. Walker scattered seven hits in seven innings pitched for Carthage.
 
University of Chicago 8, Lady Reds 0
 
A first inning that saw the Maroon tally six runs put the nail in the coffin, which gave the University of Chicago a 6-0 lead.
 
The Maroons added a pair of runs in the fourth inning. Kathleen Kohm's solo home run in the fourth inning gave the University of Chicago a 7-0 lead. Colleen Bennett's RBI-single that scored Maggie O'Hara, who walked, concluded the Maroon's scoring and made the score 8-0 after the fourth inning.
 
Pelsor collected the only Lady Red hit of the game, a double. Molly Moran pitched a complete-game for the University of Chicago and struck out eight batters.
 
Pelsor was the pitcher of record for the Lady Reds.
 
Carthage will return to action on Wednesday, April 27 against Elmhurst College. Game time from Art Keller Field is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.