KISSIMMEE, FLA.—Next on the Carthage College softball team's spring break docket was Eastern University and Bridgewater College at the Osceola Softball Complex in Kissimmee, Florida on Thursday. Stefanie Guercio capitalized on her third shutout victory of the young 2019 season in an 8-0 decision over Eastern, followed by a 4-3 win over Bridgewater that saw Naomi Alonzo pitch four innings and drive in the game-tying and winning runs for the Lady Reds.
 
The sweep gives Carthage a 5-3 overall record.
 
Lady Reds 8, Eastern 0
 
Guercio struckout nine batters and allowed just two hits over her complete-game victory, where the offense began in the second inning when Ellie Bernero drove in Makenzie Miller with an RBI single to make the score 1-0. Guercio helped herself with a bases-loaded single in the third inning, which plated Donna Stevens en route to a 2-0 score. The Lady Reds produced another run with the bases loaded when Alonzo touched home plate when Miller reached on a fielder's choice, making the score 3-0 in the third inning. Guercio widened Carthage's lead to 4-0 in the third inning with a run after Madison Kern reached on an error.
 
The Lady Reds ended the game via the eight-run mercy rule with four fifth-inning runs. Danielle Koziczkowski and Bernero each knocked-in runs in the fifth inning with singles, while Kern's fielder's choice helped plate another run to lock an 8-0 win for Carthage.
 
Guercio, Alonzo and Bernero each tallied a pair of hits for Carthage.  
 
Lady Reds 4, Bridgewater 3
 
Bridgewater set the tone with a first-inning run before Brooke Sefcik's two-run home run that also plated Miller in the second inning gave Carthage a 2-1 cushion. Victoria Gonarz's two-run double in the third inning helped Bridgewater regain the lead at 3-2 from that point until the seventh inning.
 
Alonzo played hero for Carthage in the seventh inning with a two-run single that sent home Rylee Johnson and Marissa Maldonado en route to a 4-3 final score.
 
Carthage mustered the victory despite being out-hit 8-4. Bernero pitched the first three innings before Alonzo took over the final four frames, where she allowed just one hit and picked up the victory.
 
The Lady Reds will conclude their spring break tomorrow, Friday, March 8 against Roanoke College (9:00 a.m. ET) and Bates College (11:15 a.m. ET) at the Osceola Softball Complex in Kissimmee, Florida.