KENOSHA, WIS.—The Carthage College softball team's 2019 home opener pitted them against Wisconsin Lutheran College (DH) in a Wednesday-afternoon affair. Madison Kern's two-run home run, and Stefanie Guercio's 12-strikeout performance propelled the Lady Reds over the Warriors 3-1 in game one. Donna Stevens notched a two-run home run for Carthage in their 6-1 victory over Wisconsin Lutheran in game two. 
 
Carthage ups their record to 12-4, 0-0 CCIW while the Warriors fall to 9-5, 0-2 NACC.
 
Lady Reds 3, Wisconsin Lutheran 1
 
Guercio surrendered her first hit of the contest in the fourth inning, where Melissa Ericson doubled home Ileana Fierro (walked) to give Wisconsin Lutheran a 1-0 lead. That advantage was short-lived as Ellie Bernero reached base in the fourth inning off a ground-ball single to left field, which set-up freshman Madison Kern's two-run home run that gave Carthage a 2-1 lead. Courtney Polanski tacked on another Lady Reds fourth-inning run when was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Emmily Zinkiewicz's groundout, and scored off Danielle Koziczkowski's single en route to a 3-1 score.
 
Carthage out-hit the Warriors 8-2. Guercio improved her pitching record to 7-1 on the season with a 12-strikeout outing where she allowed just two hits and walked three batters. Alexandra Millett and Kern each tallied a pair of hits for the Carthage offense. Warriors pitcher Jessie Rago suffered the loss, where she allowed eight hits and struckout three Lady Reds.
 
Lady Reds 6, Wisconsin Lutheran 1
 
The Warriors set the tone with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, which ignited a five-run second inning for the Lady Reds. Ellie Bernero led off the second with a double and later scored off Courtney Polanski's single to tie the game 1-1. Madison Kern, who singled, was relieved on the base pads by Marissa Maldonado, who scored on Zinkiewicz's single to give Carthage a 2-1 lead. Polanski scored from third on Millett's sacrifice fly to push the margin to 3-1. The Lady Reds polished their five-run second inning when Donna Stevens hit her first collegiate home run that also scored ZInkiewicz to widen the score to 5-1.
 
Stevens added another run for Carthage in the fifth inning, when she singled and scored off Bernero's single to push the score to 6-1.
 
Naomi Alonzo upped her pitching record to 4-1 for the Lady Reds. She allowed six hits, struckout five and walked no batters in the complete-game effort. Stevens, Bernero and Polanski each tallied a pair of hits for Carthage.
 
The Lady Reds will host North Park University (DH) on Wednesday, April 3 at 3:00 p.m.