KENOSHA, Wis. – The #19 Carthage College Red Men won their sixth straight game on Thursday, completing the three-game season sweep of the season sweep of Carroll University, defeating the Pioneers at Augie Schmidt Field in walk-off fashion, 6-5.
The win moves the Red Men to 23-4 overall on the season and to 10-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, while the Pioneers fall to 13-14 and 2-12 in the CCIW.
Carroll opened the game with four runs off Carthage starter
Ian Maxeiner in the first three innings to put the Red Men in a 4-0 hole through three, before being lifted heading to the fourth.
The Carthage bats finally came alive in the fourth with three runs by the Red Men to draw within one at 4-3. Three-straight hits by
Cody Phelps,
Nick Pierce and
Vince Schwartz opened the inning, with Schwartz driving in Phelps on an RBI single to open the scoring.
Joe Sisk doubled to bring in Pierce and
Myles Farley grounded out, driving in Schwartz to round out the scoring in the inning.
Kyle Damon was solid in relief of Maxeiner, going 3.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out two. Also coming out of the pen,
Brandon Hanik went 1.1 innings allowing one unearned run on no hits to keep the game within reach for the Red Men.
Trailing by three entering their final at bat, the Red Men strung together hits by
Ryan Kramer and Phelps to open the inning and put the tying run on.
Nick Pierce fisted a single through the right side of the infield to score two and represented the winning run.
Vince Schwartz singled up the middle to move Pierce into scoring position and
Ryan Dalton ended it with the fifth straight hit by the Red Men, driving a double to the left center wall for the 6-5 win.
Chris Pedrak picked up his second win of the season, working a scoreless ninth to improve to 2-0.
The Red Men will return to action for the biggest series of the season to date as Carthage host North Central College in a battle for first place, featuring the top two teams in the CCIW. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is set for noon from Augie Schmidt Field.