Carthage 11, Alfred 3 (5 Innings)
Carthage 4, Hiram 1
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Carthage softball team continued its season opening Florida trip with a pair of games against the Alfred University Saxons and the Hiram College Terriers on Thursday. It was a strong showing for the Firebirds as the team earned a blowout win over the Saxons before defeating the Terriers to earn the first doubleheader sweep of the season.



VS ALFRED

The Saxons got the game going with a single from Samantha Vidal. Vidal stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. An RBI single for Kendall Steward brought home the opening run and gave Alfred a 1-0 lead. The Firebirds looked to respond in the bottom of the first, as Clare Rettler led off with a bunt single and stole second base. Rylee Boyd walked to put two runners on with no outs. Gwen Hendrick singled to left field, but a strong throw from the left fielder was enough to get Rettler out at the plate to prevent the tying run. A double play in the next at bat got the Saxons out of the inning.

Carthage starter Emma Asien got two quick outs to open the second inning before falling into trouble with back to back walks. Head Coach Amy Gillmore put in reliever Eden Youngbauer, who gave up a pair of RBI singles to Vidal and Bella Mistretta to extend the Saxons lead to 3-0. Youngbauer got out of the inning after Vidal was caught trying to earn a run with a double steal. The Firebirds went down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

Youngbauer got the Saxons to go down in order in the top half of the third inning to keep the deficit at three runs. Leiah Cardona got the Firebirds started with a one-out single to center field on a 3-1 count. Rettler then reached first on a bunt single and a single from Boyd loaded the bases. Hendrick then singled through the right side, scoring Cardona and Rettler to cut the lead to 3-2. Rachael Setterstrom then reached base on a two-out single to load the bases for the second time in the inning. An infield single for Isabel Bates scored two more runs and gave the Firebirds a 4-2 lead.

Brielle Wark led off the Saxons half of the fourth inning with a single through the left side, but was then thrown out trying to steal second base in the next at bat. Jovie Riley singled and Paris Guzman walked to give the Saxons a two on, one out scenario before Youngbauer recorded a strikeout and forced a groundout to get out of the inning without allowing a run. The Saxons got two quick outs to open the bottom of the fourth inning before Rettler reached base on a bunt single. Boyd then singled through the left side and advanced Rettler to second. Hendrick then forced an error by the Alfred right fielder which allowed both Rettler and Boyd to score and extend the Carthage lead to 6-3. 

Ellie Fapp entered the game to pitch for the Firebirds in the top of the fifth inning and got two quick outs. Steward reached base with a double to left center, but Fapp recovered and got the third out of the inning to keep the Saxons off the board in the fifth. Setterstrom opened the inning with a single to center field and then advanced to third base on a single down the right field line for Bates. Bates then stole second before Peyton Kryza reached on a fielder's choice that scored Setterstrom and moved Bates to third. Jessica Craig then replaced Kryza as a pinch runner. A single to left center for Hana Adler brought home Bates and made it an 8-3 ball game. Isabelle Stombres entered as a pinch runner for Adler. Cardona reached on a fielder's choice that loaded the bases before the Saxons walked in a run to make the game 9-3. Back to back singles for Boyd and Hendrick brought home two more runs and forced the run rule as Carthage claimed the 11-3 victory.

VS HIRAM

Rettler led off the game with a bunt single before being thrown out trying to steal second base. Hendrick reached base with a two-out double to center field, and then scored on an RBI single for Olivia Hristov to give the Firebirds a 1-0 lead. Emma Faubel got the start in the second game of the day and allowed a leadoff walk to Ari Torres. Faubel recovered quickly, picking of Torres to clear the bases and keep the Terriers off the scoreboard in the first inning. 

Both teams were held scoreless in the second inning, with the lone hit coming in the Terriers half of the inning from Lola Thomas. 

Cardona led off the third inning by reaching on a throwing error from second base. A bunt single for Rettler advanced Cardona to second base and a bunt single from Boyd loaded the bases. The Terriers forced back to back foul outs before Bates smacked an RBI single to right field to score two runs and extend the Carthage lead to 3-0. Faubel set down the Terriers in order in the bottom of the third.

Angela Parker led off the top of the fourth inning, but the Firebirds could not find away to convert the base runner into a run. Danielle Robles led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple down the right field line and then scored on a sacrifice flyout to get the Terriers on the scoreboard and cut the deficit to 3-1. 

Carthage went down one-two-three in the top of the fifth inning. Coach Gillmore elected to enter Hristov as the Carthage pitcher in the bottom of the fifth and the Firebirds were able to keep the Terriers off the scoreboard in the inning.

Addison Simonson led off the sixth inning with a single to center field before ultimately being stranded at second base. Hristov continued to control the tempo in the pitcher's circle, setting down the Terriers in order in the bottom half of the inning. 

Rettler reached first on an error to open the top of the seventh inning and a sacrifice bunt from Boyd advanced Rettler to second. A double from Hendrick down the right field line scored Rettler and extended the Carthage lead to 4-1. In the bottom of the seventh, the Terriers tried to keep the game alive with a two-out single from Kayla Prigge, but Hristov got the final out on a ground out to third base to secure the Carthage victory.




HITTING

• Clare Rettler: 5-7, 4 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB
• Rylee Boyd: 4-6, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• Gwen Hendrick: 5-8, 2 R, 6 RBI, 2 2B
• Isabel Bates: 3-7, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB
• Rachael Setterstrom: 2-3, 1 R
• Leiah Cardona: 3 R

PITCHING

• Eden Youngbauer: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K
• Emma Faubel: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• Olivia Hristov: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K

The Firebirds (5-5) return to action on Friday, March 13 for another Florida doubleheader against Westminster College (Pa.) at 9 a.m. EST and then will close out the spring break trip against No. 11 Moravian University at 11:15 a.m. EST. Carthage softball returns to Wiers Family Stadium and Barbara Madrigano Field on Wednesday, March 18 against Concordia University Chicago. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.