KENOSHA, Wis. - The regular season came to a close for the Carthage Firebirds tonight against the red-hot Millikin Big Blue, with Carthage falling in both games. The team honored graduating catcher Olivia Capuano following the doubleheader, thanking her for her contributions to the program. 

The team, currently seeded fifth in the conference standings, will be watching the conference's scores over the next week to see whether or not it will earn a bid to the CCIW Softball Tournament. Carthage owns seven league wins, and sits above Elmhurst and Carroll, who each own six CCIW wins. 





Game One

• Final Score: Millikin 7, Carthage 4
• Location: Dr. James L. Santarelli Sports Complex - Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Records: Carthage 12-20-1 (7-8 CCIW), Millikin 22-9 (9-2 CCIW)

Game Two

• Final Score: Millikin 10, Carthage 7
• Location: Dr. James L. Santarelli Sports Complex - Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Records: Carthage 12-21-1 (7-9 CCIW), Millikin 23-9 (10-2 CCIW)

Game One:

• The Big Blue delivered a big inning to kick things off, as Millikin scored twice in the first to take an early 2-0 lead. 
• Carthage halved its deficit in the bottom of the first, as Gwen Hendrick singled in Kiley Lamb. 
• The Firebirds put up a three spot in the bottom of the second inning to take a 4-2 lead. First-year phenom Clare Rettler doubled in Abby Wierzbicki to start the scoring in the inning, while a two-run double from slugger Izzy Hernandez capped it. 
• Millikin got a run back during its next at bats, chiseling its deficit to one. 
• Clawing back from a two-run margin just as the Firebirds did earlier in the game, the Big Blue evened the game at 4-4 with help from a Carthage error. 
• Millikin drilled a two-run home run to center field to capture its first lead since the first inning, going ahead 6-4 in the top of the sixth. The visitors tacked on an insurance run in the seventh to go out in front by three, leading 7-4. 
• Though Carthage put runners on second and third with two outs, putting the tying run at the plate, the Big Blue struck out Rylee Johnson to take game one. 

Game Two:

• Carthage scored the first two runs of the game in game two, as Cynthia Ibarra singled in Maddie Conway and Kristina Chronos delivered a sacrifice fly to foul territory to score Rylee Johnson. 
• After a few quick innings between both offenses, Carthage put together a big inning in the top of the fourth. The Firebirds loaded the bases with one out in the inning with some help from walks, and error, and a wild pitch, setting Gracie Vlach up with a crucial opportunity. The first-year infielder delivered, scoring a pair on a double to left center to put the Firebirds in front 4-0. 
• An error from Millikin's pitcher allowed Clare Rettler to reach base and Kristina Chronos to score, adding a run in Carthage's favor. 
• As good teams typically do, the Big Blue had a big answer for Carthage's three-run fourth inning. Millikin batted around in the bottom of the fourth inning, plating six to take a 6-5 lead. 
• Millikin added four more in the bottom of the fifth to gather control of the contest, establishing a firm 10-5 advantage. 
• A two-RBI single from the remarkable Izzy Hernandez chiseled Carthage's deficit to three, with the Firebirds trailing 10-7 after six. 
• The Firebirds went down in quick order in the seventh inning, leading to a doubleheader sweep for visiting Millikin. 

 

• Carthage's big three of Clare Rettler, Izzy Hernandez, and Gwen Hendrick all recorded multi-hit games in game one. Rettler and Hendrick each tallied an RBI while Hernandez added two. Hernandez added two more RBIs in game two, giving her 34 on the year; with two more multi-RBI games today, Hernandez has now recorded 12 games this year with at least two RBIs - eight more than any other Firebird. 
• Kiley Lamb did a little of everything in game one, recording a hit, a walk, and two runs scored. 
• Olivia Hristov pitched one inning in game one, recording a strikeout in a one-two-three frame. In 1.1 innings in game two, Hristov tallied another strikeout in a scoreless appearance. 
• Rylee Johnson tallied two hits and scored two runs in game two. 
• Gracie Vlach delivered a big two-RBI double in game two. 
• Carthage honored graduating junior Olivia Capuano following game two, thanking her for her contributions to the program during her time as a Firebird. 

 

• Should the Firebirds hold onto their No. 5 position in the CCIW standings, the team would earn a spot in the conference tournament. The tournament will be hosted by the No. 1 seed, which currently belongs to the Illinois Wesleyan University Titans, from Thursday, May 11 through Saturday, May 13.