CLERMONT, FLA.—The Carthage College softball team's 2018 opening day pitted them against Ursinus College and Alvernia University at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla. on Sunday morning. Vivian Juarez propelled the Lady Reds to a 2-1 victory over Ursinus with a seventh-inning, RBI-single that plated Jennifer Michuda. Carthage couldn't maintain a 3-1, fourth-inning advantage against Alvernia as they dropped a 6-5 decision.
 
The split gives Carthage a 1-1, 0-0 CCIW mark. Ursinus began their 2018 campaign 0-1 while Alvernia's victory over the Lady Reds gave them a 1-0 record.
 
Lady Reds 2, Ursinus 1
 
Stefanie Guercio opened her NCAA career with a 10-strikeout performance in a complete-game victory on the pitching rubber for Carthage. Guercio's run support began in the opening inning when Emmily Zinkiewicz, Juarez and Courtney Polanski loaded the bases with back-to-back-to-back singles. Alexandra Millett responded with her first NCAA RBI when her sacrifice fly to center field plated Zinkiewicz to make the score 1-0.
 
The Bears knotted the game 1-1 in the fourth inning when Morgan Comfort doubled and came around to score on Marissa Beebe's sacrifice bunt. Guercio responded with five strikeouts to close the game. Juarez sealed the deal with a seventh-inning, RBI-single to right field on a 3-1 pitch that scored Michuda, who singled, to give the Lady Reds a 2-1 lead and eventual victory.
 
Zinkiewicz and Juarez each tallied two hits for the Carthage offense in the victory.
 
Alvernia 6, Carthage 5
 
Millett came up big in her first at bat of the game again with a second-inning single before being replaced on the base pads by Danielle Koziczkowski, who made the score 1-1 when Michuda reached on an error. The Lady Reds stormed to a 3-1 lead in the fourth inning when Makenzie Miller, who started her first collegiate game, drove in Brooke Sefcik and Polanski on a single down the right field line. Sefick and Polanski each reached base on a walk.
 
Alvernia tied the game 3-3 in the fifth inning before Carthage responded with one run in the bottom of the frame to give them a 4-3 edge, their final lead of the game. The Golden Wolves tacked on three runs throughout the sixth and seventh innings en route to a 6-4 lead. Sefick doubled and scored in the bottom of the seventh to cut Alvernia's lead to 6-5, but that's all Carthage could muster.
 
Sefcik, Miller and Millett each registered two hits for the Carthage offense. Naomi Alonzo struckout six batters in a complete-game loss on the pitching rubber for Carthage.
 
The Lady Reds will face Monmouth College (9:00 a.m. ET) and Bridgewater State University (11:30 a.m. ET) tomorrow, Monday March 5 at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.