Carthage 7, CUC 4
Carthage 18, CUC 8

RIVER FOREST — The Carthage College softball team returned to action in River Forest, Illinois Tuesday afternoon, taking on Concordia Chicago. 


Game One

• The game was scoreless until the top of the second. The Firebirds took the lead with Kelly Gaiser leading it off with a homerun over left field (1-0).
• The Firebirds advanced their lead in the top of the third. Addison Simonson led it off with a single to center field. Izzy Hernandez came up next and singled down the left field line. Gaiser tripled to right field to score Hernandez and Simonson (3-0). 
• In the top of the fourth, Simonson walked to start the Firebirds off. Hernandez singled to second base to advance Simonson to second. Gwen Hendrick doubled down the left line to score Hernandez and Simonson (5-0). 
• The Cougars dug into the Firebirds' lead in the bottom of the fifth scoring one run (5-1).
• In the top of the sixth, the Firebirds stretched their lead. Kristina Chronos singled up the middle to start the Firebirds off. After a single up the middle by Simonson and a sacrifice fly by Hernandez, Chronos scored and Simonson advanced to third (6-1). The Firebirds were not done, and Hendrick doubled to right field to score Simonson (7-1). 
• The Cougars had a big inning to dig into the Firebirds lead, scoring three runs on four hits (7-4).
• The Firebirds held off the Cougars in the seventh to take the win 7-4.

Game Two

• The Firebirds started the bats and took the lead early in the first. Clare Rettler started it off for the Firebirds with a single to the shortstop. Chronos singled to second base to advance Rettler to second. Rettler and Chronos both scored with Hernandez's double to left center (2-0). Hendrick closed out the inning for the Firebirds with a double to left center, scoring Hernandez and forcing the Firebirds lead to 3-0.
• In the top of the second, Hana Adler doubled to right center to get on base for the Firebirds. Rylee Boyd came up next and singled to right field to advance Adler to third. After a wild pitch and a ground out by Chronos, Adler and Boyd crossed the plate (5-0).
• The Cougars stole the lead from the Firebirds in the bottom of the second, scoring six runs on four hits (6-5). 
• In the top of the third, the Firebirds tied it up starting with a single to second base by Boyd. Rettler tripled to center field to score Boyd (6-6). 
• The Firebirds continued to score on the Cougars in the fourth. Hernandez started it off for the Firebirds with a single to left center. Hendrick doubled to right field and advanced to third on the throw. Hernandez advanced to third on the double and scored on the throw (7-6). The Firebirds scored one more in the inning (Hendrick) off of a wildpitch (8-6). 
• In the top of the fifth, the Firebirds scored five runs on five hits. Leiah Cardona scored off of Rettler's single to second base. Boyd crossed the plate on a passed ball. Rettler scored after Chronos' ground out to second base. After a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly, Hernandez and Simonson crossed the plate (13-6).
• The Cougars got their bats rolling and dug into the Firebirds' lead, scoring two runs on four hits but leaving two on base in the bottom of the sixth (13-8).
• The Firebirds had another big inning in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs on five hits. Simonson, Hernandez, Gaiser, Hendrick, and Olivia Hristov all crossed the plate for the Firebirds (18-8). 
• The Firebirds held the Cougars to zero runs, and zero hits to secure the win over the Cougars. 

• In game one, Hernandez led the Firebirds in hits with three and runs with two with three plate appearances.
• In game two, Hendrick led the Firebirds in hits with five and runs with two over five plate appearances. 
• Maddie Conway (7-1) and Hristov (4-3) secured wins in the circle over the Cougars. 

The Firebirds return to action in Beloit, Wisconsin Sunday, March 30. The Firebirds will face the Buccaneers at noon. For more information, visit our athletics.carthage.edu.