CLERMONT, FLA.—Elizabethtown College and University of Mount Union were on the Carthage College softball team's docket on Wednesday morning in Clermont, Fla. The Lady Reds couldn't rebound from a pair of first-inning Elizabethtown home runs as they dropped an 8-1 decision. A three-run third inning wasn't enough for Carthage in an 11-5 loss to University of Mount Union.
 
The losses drop Carthage's record to 2-6, 0-0 CCIW. Elizabethtown's victory gave them a 5-0 record while Mount Union's win upped their mark to 5-5.
 
Elizabethtown 8, Lady Reds 1
 
The Bluejays held onto a 4-0 lead heading into the sixth inning, highlighted by first-inning home runs from Emma Varrato and Sarah Personette. Veronica Pieters came through with a sixth-inning, pinch-hit RBI-single up the middle that plated Danielle Koziczkowski, who singled, to narrow Carthage's deficit to 4-1. A four-run, sixth inning for Elizabethtown was the nail in the coffin for their 8-1 victory over the Lady Reds.
 
Koziczkowski, Pieters and Naomi Alonzo registered each of the Lady Reds' three hits in the contest. Stephanie Bonaguidi and Rachel Fanella each saw time in the pitching circle for Carthage, and collectively surrendered eight runs on seven hits.
 
University of Mount Union 11, Lady Reds 5
 
The Purple Raiders and Lady Reds traded runs throughout the opening two innings before each team tallied three in the third to make the score 4-4. Carthage's third-inning damage occurred with two outs, which began when Alexandra Millett and Makenzie Miller each drew back-to-back walks. Emmily Zinkiewicz followed with a single to load the bases for Madison Ganir, who drove in Millett and Miller to narrow the Lady Reds' deficit to 4-3. Zinkiewicz later came home on Jennifer Michuda's single to knot the game 4-4.
 
Mount Union came back with a two-run fourth inning en route to a 6-4 lead. Brooke Sefcik's solo-home run to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning cut the Purple Raider's lead to 6-5. That's all the offense Carthage mustered as Mount Union touched them up for five runs throughout the final three innings to secure an 11-5 win.
 
Ganir went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs-batted-in, while Koziczkowski went 2-for-5 with one RBI for the Lady Reds.
 
Naomi Alonzo, Fanella, Stefanie Guercio and Ellie Bernero all saw time in the pitching circle for Carthage.
 
The Lady Reds will face Penn State Behrend (9:00 a.m. ET) and Finlandia University (11:30 a.m. ET) tomorrow, Thursday, March 8 at the Hancock Fields in Clermont, Fla.