KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team hosted Ripon College (DH) in a non-conference affair on Friday afternoon. Katie Herron's second career no-hitter propelled the Lady Reds to an 8-0 victory over the Red Hawks in game one. Carthage defeated Ripon 9-1 in game two to widen their win streak to 11 games, the third-longest in school history.
 
Herron's no-hitter was the 23^rd in Carthage softball history, and the second of her career. She also held the opposition hitless in an 8-0 win over Rochester Institute of Technology on March 22.
 
The sweep gives Carthage a 20-8, 9-1 CCIW record while Ripon falls to 7-17, 3-5 MWC. The Lady Reds now hold more victories than last season (19) with 12 games remaining on the 2017 slate.
 
Lady Reds 8, Ripon College 0 (Five Innings)
 
Herron struck out three batters, and walked three throughout her five-inning outing. Her run support began with Brooke Sefcik's third-inning, solo-home run to give Carthage a 1-0 lead. The Lady Reds tacked on five runs in the fourth inning, which began when Herdegen singled and scored off Darian Pelsor's double to make the score 2-0.
 
Pelsor, who advanced to third base off Lauren Jones' single, scored off Hailey Rothstein's fielder's choice to push the Lady Reds' cushion to 3-0. Sefcik cleaned the bases with a three-run home run to give Carthage a 6-0 advantage.
 
The Lady Reds added two runs in the fifth inning to end things via mercy rule. Herdegen (reached on an error) and Pelsor (double) each reached base to begin the frame. This set up back-to-back RBI singles from Jones and Rothstein to give Carthage an 8-0 victory.
 
Kayla Uhwat-Vicicondi, Pelsor, Jones and Sefcik each had two hits for the Lady Reds.
 
Lady Reds 9, Ripon 1 (Five Innings)
 
Carthage pitcher Amy Goldsmith went the distance and surrendered four hits, one run (none earned) and zero walks. That lone run occurred in the first inning when Elizabeth Floodstrand doubled home Isabella Osborn, who reached on an error, to give Ripon a 1-0 lead.
 
Rothstein gave Carthage the lead for good with a second-inning home run to make the score 2-1. Sefcik, who reached on an error, scored on Ellie Bernero's single to widen Carthage's lead to 3-1 to close the second frame's scoring.
 
Herdegen walked and scored off Pelsor's triple in the fourth inning to make the score 4-1.  Sefcik (double), Vivian Juarez (single), Herdegen (walk) and Jones (hit by pitch) each tallied a fifth-inning RBI to help Carthage secure a 9-1 victory. Uhwat also scored on a passed ball in the final frame.
 
Rothstein went three-for-three at the plate for Carthage while Juarez and Pelsor each contributed two hits.
 
The Lady Reds will return to action on Tuesday, April 18 at North Central College (Ill.) (DH). First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.