KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team hosted Millikin University with heavy CCIW Tournament implications on Sunday afternoon. The Lady Reds put themselves in good position with a 4-0 victory over the Big Blue in game one. Carthage held a 3-0 lead in game two, but 10 Millikin runs throughout the fifth and sixth innings secured them a 12-4 victory and the CCIW Regular Season Championship.
 
The Lady Reds exit Sunday with a 23-13, 12-4 CCIW record while the Big Blue sit at 30-10, 15-2 CCIW.
 
Lady Reds 4, Millikin 0
 
The Lady Reds wasted no time as they generated a two-run first inning. Kayla Uhwat-Vicicondi led off with a single, and advanced to second base off Vivian Juarez's sacrifice bunt. This set up Kristine Herdegen's RBI single that plated Uhwat to give Carthage a 1-0 lead. Darian Pelsor knocked in Herdegen with a single to widen the margin to 2-0.
 
Pelsor (third inning) and Brooke Sefcik (sixth inning) each hit a solo home run to push Carthage's lead to 4-0.
 
Lady Reds pitcher Katie Herron suurendered zero runs on five hits while striking out three batters. She only walked one Millikin hitter in the contest.
 
Emmily Zinkiewicz and Pelsor each went 2-for-3 at the plate for Carthage.
 
Millikin 12, Lady Reds 4 (12 Innings)
 
The Lady Reds took advantage of two Millikin fielding errors in the first inning en route to a 2-0 lead. Zinkiewicz (single), Jennifer Michuda (reached on error) and Juarez (walk) loaded the bases for Carthage in the second inning. Herdegen followed that when she was hit by a pitch, which plated Zinkiewicz to give Carthage a 3-0 lead.
 
The Big Blue tallied their first run in the second inning when Chelsea Eads doubled, and circled the bases on the Carthage outfield throw to narrow the margin to 3-1.
 
Millikin added one run in the fourth inning, and cruised to a seven-run fifth to take a 9-3 lead. Michuda's home run to left field narrowed the score to 9-4, but Millikin added three runs in the sixth inning to secure a 12-4 victory via the 10-run mercy rule.
 
Amy Goldsmith, Herron and Rachel Fanella all saw action on the pitching rubber for Carthage. Zinkiewicz went 2-for-3 at the plate for Carthage.
 
The Lady Reds, who clinched a spot in the 2017 CCIW Tournament, will await their opponent once conference play around the CCIW concludes in the coming week. Carthage will host #13 UW-Whitewater (DH) on Tuesday, April 25 at 3:00 p.m.