KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team (20-8, 9-1 CCIW) will embark on a four-doubleheader swing this week. The Lady Reds take on North Central College (DH) on Tuesday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m., and #21 UW-Oshkosh on Thursday, April 20 at 3:00 p.m. on the road. Carthage will return home for CCIW matchups against Illinois Wesleyan University (DH) on Saturday, April 22 at 1:00 p.m., and Millikin University (DH) on Sunday, April 23 at 12:00 p.m.
 
Darian Pelsor paces the Lady Reds with a .373 batting average (31-83) and five home runs. Lady Reds pitcher Katie Herron ranks 10^th in the country with 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings while Amy Goldsmith's 0.43 walks per seven innings puts her sixth in NCAA Division III.
 
Carthage trails Millikin (25-9, 11-1 CCIW) by one game in the CCIW standings.
 
ABOUT NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE (ILL.) (13-13, 3-3 CCIW)
 
The Cardinals, who are in fifth place in the CCIW, trail Illinois Wesleyan by two games in the standings.
 
Taylor Clugston leads the North Central offense with a .402 batting average with six doubles and one home run. Clugston is the toughest batter to strikeouts in the CCIW (42.0).
 
The Cardinals pace the CCIW in double plays per game (0.67) and doubles per game (1.54).
 
Jim Kulawiak is in his 29^th season as North Central (Ill.) head softball coach. Carthage carries a 26-55 all-time record against the Cardinals.
 
ABOUT #21 UW-OSHKOSH (20-6, 4-2 WIAC)
 
The Titans rank among NCAA Division III's top-five teams in doubles per game (2.29) and fielding percentage (.976). Erika Berry leads the Oshkosh hitters with a .438 batting average that includes eight doubles, two triples and four home runs. The Titans have four other .300 plus hitters in their lineup.
 
Claire Petrus and Clare Robbe both have contributed in the pitching circle for the Titans. Petrus leads the CCIW and ranks third in the country with a 0.27 ERA.
 
Scott Beyer is in his fourth season as UW-Oshkosh head softball coach. Carthage owns an 8-10 all-time record against UW-Oshkosh.
 
ABOUT ILLINOIS WESLEYAN (20-10, 5-5 CCIW)
 
Jillian Runyon leads Illinois Wesleyan with a .410 batting average that includes three doubles, four triples and 13 runs batted in. A total of nine Titans sport a .300 plus batting average on the season.
 
Mackenzie Marquis (76.1 IP) and Brea Walker (78.0 IP) command an Illinois Wesleyan pitching staff that carries a 3.30 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 202.0 innings on the season.
 
Illinois Wesleyan is coming off a 35-13, 11-3 CCIW 2016 season that saw them win the CCIW Regular Season crown, and advance to the NCAA Division III World Series. They fell to MIT (2-0) and Rowan (3-1) in the World Series last season.
 
Tiffany Prager is in her first season as Illinois Wesleyan head softball coach. The Lady Reds sport a 22-53 all-time record against the Titans.
 
ABOUT MILLIKIN (25-9, 11-1 CCIW)
 
The Big Blue's lone CCIW blemish this season occurred in a 2-1 decision to North Park on April 9. Kailey Lyons leads the CCIW with a .441 batting average while Alyssa Voegele leads the team with a .291 batting average. Cathy Lebryk (99.0 IP) and Gracie Brookens (100.1 IP) each carry the load on the pitching rubber for Millikin.
 
Katie Tenboer is in her third season as Millikin head softball coach after a stellar playing career at Central College. The Lady Reds own a 36-27 all-time mark against the Big Blue.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
 
The Lady Reds conclude their regular season with home games against #15 UW-Whitewater (DH) on Tuesday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m., and Concordia University Chicago on Wednesday, April 26 at 3:00 p.m.