CHICAGO, ILL.—The Carthage College softball team faced North Park University (DH) at the Holmgren Athletic Complex in Chicago on Wednesday. Stefanie Guercio's complete-game one hitter propelled the Lady Reds to a 3-1 victory over North Park in game one. The Lady Reds dropped a 2-1 decision to the Vikings in game two after Danielle Koziczkowski was thrown out at home plate from center field on Vivian Juarez's  seventh-inning single.
 
The split gives Carthage a 13-11, 3-1 CCIW mark while North Park sits at 10-18, 2-4 CCIW after Wednesday.
 
Lady Reds 3, North Park 1
 
Guercio finished the game with nine strikeouts over seven innings of work. Her lone blemish occurred in the first inning when North Park took a 1-0 lead before the Lady Reds responded with one in the top of the second. Jennifer Michuda doubled an 0-2 pitch down the left field line, then scored off Courtney Polanski's single to tie the game 1-1 in the second inning. 
 
Guercio surrendered her lone hit of the game in the third inning when North Park's Ellie Manderfield executed a bunt single. The Lady Reds provided her two runs in the seventh inning, where Marissa Maldonado led off with a single, then advanced to second off Emmily Zinkiewicz's sacrifice bunt. Vivian Juarez followed with a single to put runners on the corners for Millett, who registered a two-run double to give Carthage a 3-1 lead.
 
Juarez and Millett paced the Carthage offense with two hits apiece.
 
North Park 2, Lady Reds 1
 
Ellie Bernero allowed just four hits and struck out three batters in the complete-game pitching loss for Carthage.
 
The Vikings set the tone with a first-inning run before Carthage registered two-out damage in the third inning. Alexandra Millett notched a single on an 0-2 count, then advanced to third base off Naomi Alonzo's single. Brooke Sefcik hustled out an infield single to third base, which scored Millett to tie the game 1-1.
 
The Vikings exploited a sixth-inning Carthage error with a run en route to a 2-1 lead. The Lady Reds threatened with a potential game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh, where Alessia Knowski led off with a walk and advanced (pinch runner Danielle Koziczkowski) to second off Madison Ganir's sacrifice bunt. This set up Juarez's single that sent pinch runner Koziczkowski around third base before being thrown out at home plate from center field to end the game.
 
Juarez paced the Carthage offense with two hits in the contest.
 
The Lady Reds will return to action on Thursday, April 12 at UW-Whitewater (DH). Game time is set for 2:30 p.m.