CLERMONT, FLA.—The Carthage College softball team faced University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg and Wartburg College on their third day in Florida on Tuesday. The Lady Reds were the first team to plate runs in both games, but couldn't hold onto either advantage in a 5-4 (8 innings) loss to University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg, and a 6-3 defeat to Wartburg College.
The losses bring Carthage's overall record to 2-4, 0-0 CCIW. Pittsburgh-Greensburg's first victory of the season gave them a 1-4 record while Wartburg's win over the Lady Reds evened their record at 3-3.
Lady Reds 4, Pittsburgh-Greensburg 5 (8 Innings)
The Lady Reds's lone lead of the game occurred in the first inning, when
Brooke Sefcik drove in
Alessia Knowski on a single to left field to make the score 1-0. The Bobcats responded with three-consecutive unearned runs throughout the second and third innings en route to a 3-1 advantage.
The Lady Reds responded in the fifth inning when
Vivian Juarez and Knowski led off with back-to-back singles. Juarez scored on a bad throw when Naomi Alonso reach on a fielder's choice, which cut the margin to 3-2. Sefick was the shot of adrenaline Carthage needed when she launched her first home run of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning to knot the game 3-3 to force an eighth inning.
The Bobcats used the international rule of tie break (runner prematurely placed on second base) to their advantage as Krista Bayus got Abigial Vaughan home from second base on a bunt to make the score 4-3. Bayus eventually touched home plate off Vaughan's double to push the score to 5-3.
The Lady Reds loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth before Alonzo walked in Zinkiewicz from third to narrow their deficit to 5-4.
Juarez went 3-for-5 at the plate for Carthage, while Knowski, Sefcik (home run), and
Alexandra Millett each had two hits.
Ellie Bernero and
Rachel Fanella teamed up for four strikeouts, and gave up five runs on seven hits in the pitching circle for the Lady Reds.
Wartburg 6, Lady Reds 3
The Lady Reds set the tone with a 4-0 lead after four and a half innings. The first inning resulted in a 2-0 lead thanks to Alonzo's RBI-single that plated Zinkiewicz, and
Courtney Polanski's bases-loaded hit by pitch.
Danielle Koziczkowski added an inside the park home run to left field in the fourth inning to make the score 3-0.
The Knights responded with six unanswered runs throughout the fourth and fifth innings to lock a 6-3 victory.
Sefcik and Millett each contributed two hits for the Carthage offense, while four other Lady Reds added hits.
Stefanie Guercio gave up six runs on 10 hits in five innings of work on the pitching rubber before she turned things to Fanella for the final frame.
The Lady Reds will face Elizabethtown College (9:00 a.m. ET) and University of Mount Union (11:30 a.m. ET) tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7 at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.
