Carthage 7, Beloit 1
Carthage 6, Beloit 1
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Carthage softball team played their first pair of games at the newly renovated Wiers Family Stadium and Madrigrano Field on Sunday afternoon. It was an home opener to remember for the Firebirds, who came away with a pair of wins over the Beloit Buccaneers.



GAME 1

The Buccaneers got on the scoreboard first in the opening frame by way of an RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. The Firebirds answered right back in the bottom of the first, as Gwen Hendrick hit a single to center field and came all the way around to score from first on an error by the center fielder. The Firebirds would take the lead later in the inning, as Maddie Conway hit an RBI single to right center to bring home Hana Adler and Izzy Hernandez to put Carthage up 3-1.

Peyton Kryza grounded out to the shortstop in the bottom of the second, allowing Kristina Chronos to come home and extend the Firebirds lead to 4-1.

Hendrick earned another RBI on a base hit down the left field line to score Clare Rettler and increase the lead to four runs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Abby Wierzbicki singled through the left side to score Tallulah Finegold and Kiley Lamb. The Firebirds would go on to take the opener 7-1.

Conway earned her third win on the season, pitching a complete game and earning three strikeouts while allowing just one run.

GAME 2

The Firebirds kept the offense rolling to start the second half of the doubleheader, as Kryza hit a sacrifice fly to center field in the first inning to bring home Rettler and give Carthage an early 1-0 lead.

Adler would extend the lead in the second inning as she scored on an error to make the score 2-0. Another error by the Buccaneers in the third inning would bring home Rettler to extend the Firebird lead to 3-0.

The Firebirds offense would plate two more runs in the fourth inning as Rettler and Sarah Bennett came around to score on an RBI single from Kryza.

The Buccaneers found the scoreboard in the top half of the fifth inning, scoring their lone run on an RBI single to left field. The Firebirds answered right back in the bottom half of the inning with Adler scoring on an RBI groundout by Wierzbicki, which closed out the scoring in a 6-1 victory for the home squad.

Olivia Hristov earned her second win of the season, throwing 5.0 innings and allowing just one run. Emma Faubel threw a pair of shutout innings in relief.



 

• Rettler went a combined 5-7 at the plate with four runs scored
• Adler went 3-4 on the day with three runs scored
• Wierzbicki went 2-5 with three RBIs

The Firebirds (9-5) return to action on Wednesday, March 27 as Carthage hosts Concordia Chicago. Action begins at 2:30 p.m. at Wiers Family Stadium and Barbara Madrigrano Field. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.