Carthage 7, Elmhurst 4
Carthage 6, Elmhurst 4

ELMHURST — The Carthage College softball team returned to action Saturday afternoon in Elmhurst, Ill. The Firebirds swept the Bluejays, taking both games and holding the Bluejays to eight runs on the day. 


Game One

• The Firebirds got the bats rolling early in the top of the first. Kristina Chronos reached first on an error to start the Firebirds off. Addison Simonson doubled to score Chronos, unearned (1-0). After advancing to third on a passed ball, Simonson scored with Izzy Hernandez's sacrifice fly to left field (2-0).
• The Bluejays had no runs, no hits, and no one left one base in the bottom of the first (2-0).  
• In the top of the second, the Firebirds were scoreless and left no one on base (2-0). 
• The Bluejays scored one run in the bottom of the second (2-1).
• Clare Rettler started it off for the Firebirds in the top of the third with a single. After stealing second and advancing to third on a passed ball, Rettler scored from a sacrifice fly by Simonson (3-1). 
• A scoreless bottom of the third for the Bluejays, kept the lead to the Firebirds going into the fourth (3-1).
• In the top of the fourth, Tallulah Finegold was hit by a pitch to start a scoring inning for the Firebirds. Hana Adler doubled to left field, advancing Finegold to third. Finegold crossed the plate after Rylee Boyd flied out to center field (4-1). Adler scored with Rettler's triple to left field, forcing the Firebirds to lead 5-1. 
• The Bluejays left one on base in the bottom of the fourth (5-1).
• A scoreless fifth inning for both sides, kept the lead to the Firebirds 5-1 going into the sixth inning (5-1). 
• Boyd (unearned) and Rettler crossed the plate in the top of the sixth, forcing the Firebirds' lead to 7-1.
• A big inning for the Bluejays cut the Firebirds' lead down to three going into the seventh inning (7-4).
• A scoreless seventh inning for both sides, led to the Firebirds taking game one (7-4). 

Game Two

• Game two started with the first two innings scoreless for both sides (0-0). 
• The Bluejays left no one on base in the top of the third (0-0).
• In the bottom of the third, Adler got it started for the Firebirds with a single to left field. Leiah Cardona came in to pinch run for Adler. Cardona scored, unearned, after Boyd reached first on an error (1-0). Rettler came up next and singled, advancing Boyd to third. Chronos flied out to center field to score Boyd (2-0). Rettler crossed the plate with Hernandez's sacrifice fly to left field (3-0). 
• The Firebirds held the Bluejays to one hit and two runners left on base in the top of the fourth (3-0). 
• The Firebirds increased their lead in the bottom of the fourth after Adler crossed the plate with Rettler's single to right field (4-0).
• A scoreless fifth inning for both sides, kept the lead to the Firebirds (4-0).
• In the top of the sixth, the Bluejays tied the game up scoring four runs and collected four hits (4-4).
• The Firebirds came back in the bottom of the sixth, scoring two runs. Adler started it off with a single to left field. Rettler singled to center field, scoring Adler (5-4). Isabelle Stombres scored Rettler with a single to center field (6-4).
• In the top of the seventh, the Firebirds held the Bluejays to no runs and secured the sweep (6-4). 

• In game one, Rettler led the Firebirds in hits with three and two runs.
• In game two, Rettler led the Firebirds going four for four at the plate and recording two runs. 
• The Firebirds collected 19 hits.
• Olivia Hristov pitched all seven innings in game one, collecting the win in the circle (11-3). 
• Maddie Conway pitched all seven innings in game two, collecting the win in the circle (9-3). 

The Firebirds return to action in Whitewater, Wis. to take on UW-Whitewater Sunday, April 13 at 1 p.m. For more information, visit our athletics.carthage.edu.