KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team opened their 2017 home schedule with a doubleheader against Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference foe Wisconsin Lutheran College on Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Reds capitalized on 5-2 and 9-0 wins over Wisconsin Lutheran for their first single-day sweep since March 4 when they opened the season with 4-2 and 6-4 wins over Illinois College.
 
The victories give Carthage an 8-6, 0-0 CCIW record. Wisconsin Lutheran falls to 3-9, 0-0 NACC on the season. 
 
Lady Reds 5, Wisconsin Lutheran 2
 
RBI-doubles produced Carthage's first four runs of the game. Kristine Herdegen set the tone with a first-inning, one-run double that scored Emmily Zinkiewicz, who singled, to give the Lady Reds a 1-0 lead. Hailey Rothstein later knocked in Kayla Uhwat-Vicicondi (fielder's choice) and Darian Pelsor (walk) off a bases-loaded double to widen Carthage's lead to 3-0.
 
Pelsor pushed the Lady Red's advantage to 4-0 with a second-inning RBI-double that sent home Herdegen, who reached on an infield single.
 
Wisconsin Lutheran cut the Lady Red's lead in half at 4-2 with a run in each the third and fourth innings, but couldn't close the door further.
 
Jennifer Michuda gave Carthage a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning when she scored from second base off a dropped fly ball hit by Ellie Bernero.
 
Herdegen, Pelsor and Rothstein each contributed two hits for the Lady Reds. Katie Herron, who went the distance on the pitching rubber for Carthage, surrendered seven hits, two runs (one earned) and struck out 10 batters.
 
Lady Reds 9, Wisconsin Lutheran 0
 
Lady Reds pitcher Amy Goldsmith went the distance and surrendered only three hits in the complete-game shutout. Her run support began with a three-run Carthage first inning.
 
Herdegen registered another first-inning, RBI-double that scored Zinkiewicz, who led off with a single, to give Carthage a 1-0 lead. She later made the score 2-0 when Hailey Rothstein reached on an infield error. Ellie Bernero later knocked in Rothstein off a two-out single up the middle to widen the margin to 3-0.
 
Rachel Fanella pushed the score to 4-0 in the fourth inning when she singled, advanced to second on Zinkiewicz's sacrifice bunt, and scored off Vivian Juarez's single.
 
Carthage tagged the Warriors for a three-run fifth inning. Herdegen's walk, Pelsor's single and Rothstein's walk loaded the bases with no outs. Uhwat's infield single knocked home Herdegen to make the score 5-0. Fanella later widened the score to 7-0 off a two-run double that scored Uhwat and Michuda (Rothstein's pinch runner). Darian Pelsor's two-run home run in the sixth inning put the game to bed via the eight-run mercy rule to give the Lady Reds a 9-0 victory.
 
Uhwat went three-for-three at the plate for Carthage while Pelsor (home run) and Fanella each contributed a pair of hits.
 
The Lady Reds will return to the Carthage Softball Field tomorrow, March 29 in a non-conference doubleheader against St. Norbert College. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.