Carthage 5, Wheaton 3
Carthage 8, Wheaton 4
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Carthage softball team took on the Wheaton Thunder in a two-game home series on Thursday afternoon.  After a back-and-forth first game, the Firebirds used their momentum to take the sweep, winning both games. 



GAME 1

Maddie Conway started off the first inning with impeccable pitching, forcing Wheaton to go 3-up-3-down. With bases loaded in Carthage's first chance to bat, Conway ripped a line drive down the left field line to advance Olivia Hristov and Gwen Hendrick home, putting the Firebirds up 2-0.

The Thunder answered back with two hits, scoring two runs of their own, tying the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second. After a quick top of the third inning, the Firebirds could not convert their hits into runs. The score remained tied, 2-2. In the top of the fourth, Wheaton put away another run to gain the lead 3-2. The Thunder's defense held the Firebirds scoreless for the remainder of the inning. 

In the top of the fifth, Peyton Kryza threw out a Wheaton runner who was attempting to steal, preventing the Thunder from extending their lead. The Firebirds were again, held scoreless. The pressure applied from Carthage's defense did not allow any runs in the top of the 6th. 

The Firebirds strung together multiple hits in the bottom of the sixth. Conway reached base with a ball in the 5-6 hole then stole second base on the first pitch of Hana Adler's at bat. Adler placed a ball right up the middle to advance Conway to third base. Kryza flied out to right field forcing Conway to take home for herself. Abby Wierzbicki smacked a ball to center field, moving pinch runner Tallulah Finegold to third base. Rylee Johnson was hit by a pitch, reaching first base and loading the bases. Clare Rettler poked a ball through the 3-4 hole which drove Finegold in. Hendrick singled to right field, pushing pinch runner Kiley Lamb home to score. The Firebirds finished the inning with a score of 5-3. Carthage continued to hold the Thunder scoreless in the seventh inning, as the Firebirds took the win 5-3. 

Conway received the win, making her record 9-4 on the season. 

GAME 2

Both teams started off slow with neither scoring a run in the first two innings.

 In the top of the third, the Firebirds came out swinging. Adler singled to left field. Wierzbicki cracked a line drive to right center, advancing Adler to second base. Rettler hit a hard-hit ball to shortstop for a single. With bases loaded, Hendrick cracked a ball out to left center, scoring Adler. Hristov pushed a ball out to right field, advancing Wierzbicki and Rettler home. Hendrick scored on a wild pitch with Hristov right behind, scoring on a throwing error by the catcher. Hernandez reached base with a walk. The catcher for Carthage, Kryza, drilled a double to left center scoring Hernandez. The Firebirds led after the top of the third inning. The Thunder answered, scoring three runs of their own to cut the deficit to 6-3.

Both team's scoring remained stagnant in the fourth and fifth innings. With bases loaded for most of the bottom of the sixth inning, the Firebirds allowed a sole run for the Thunder and ended the inning with a 6-4 lead.

In the top of the seventh inning, Hendrick smashed a ball to centerfield recording a triple for herself. Hristov hit a ball up the middle to centerfield, advancing Hendrick home. Hernandez reached base on a fielder's choice, and Conway followed with a double to center field, scoring Hernandez. The Firebirds turned up the heat on defense keeping Wheaton scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, 8-4 Firebirds. 

Hristov received the win making her record on the year 5-2.

• Kryza went 3-6 with an RBI
• Rettler went 3-6 and extended her hitting streak to 19 games, the second longest in program history.
• Conway went 3-7 with 3 RBIs. She threw 8.2 innings, tallying 6 strikeouts and just 2 earned runs.

Carthage softball travels to Inspiration Field on April 20 against Illinois Wesleyan. Action begins at 1 p.m. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.