Westminster (Pa.) 7, Carthage 6
Carthage 9, No.11 Moravian 3
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Carthage softball team concluded its spring break trip on Friday with a pair of games against the Westminster College Titans and the No. 11 Moravian University Greyhounds. The Firebirds came up short in a tightly contested opener against the Titans before claiming the victory over the nationally ranked Greyhounds.



VS WESTMINSTER

Clare Rettler got the top of the first inning started with a single through the left side before stealing second base. A walk for Gwen Hendrick placed two runners on base with one out in the inning. Olivia Hristov then singled to right field on a 2-1 count to bring home both runners and give the Firebirds an early 2-0 lead. The Titans went scoreless in the bottom of the first despite a two-out walk from Morgan O'Brien.

Both teams went down quickly in the second inning. Rettler led off the third inning with a bunt single for her second hit of the game. The senior then stole second for the second time in the first three innings. A pair of strikeouts brought the inning to two outs with Rettler still on second when Hristov singled to center field to score Rettler and extend the Carthage lead to 3-0. A single from Kelly Troup gave the Titans some hope in the bottom half of the inning, but a 6-3 double play got the Firebirds out of the inning. 

A one-out walk for Peyton Kryza gave the Firebirds a base runner in the fourth inning, but the Titans were able to keep the Firebirds scoreless in the frame. The Titans started the bottom of the fourth with a pair of walks from Sam Levac and O'Brian before Lily Jordan hit a double down the left field line. Two runs scored and the Titans were back within a run of tying the game. A double for Kylie Anthony scored another run and the Titans tied the score at 3-3.

Rettler led off the fifth inning with her third hit of the day. A sacrifice bunt from Rylee Boyd moved Rettler to second and a throwing error allowed Rettler to move up to third base and then score to give the Firebirds back the lead at 4-3. The Titans responded in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff single for Faith Jones. O'Brien then hit a home run over the center field wall to give the Titans their first lead of the contest at 5-4.

The Firebirds  got things going again in the sixth inning with a two-out single for Hana Adler. Isabelle Stombres entered as a pinch runner for Adler and promptly scored on a first pitch triple for Leiah Cardona to tie the game at 5-5/ Cardona then scored as Rettler reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher, once again give the Firebirds a one-run lead at 6-5. Anais Fernandez entered to pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Firebirds. After giving up a leadoff double to Sofia Ortiz, Fernandez settled in and got three consecutive outs to hold the Carthage lead at 6-5.

The Firebirds were held scoreless in the top of the seventh despite a one-out single for Hristov. In the bottom of the seventh, Emma Assien entered the game to try and close the door on the Titans. O'Brien led off with a walk before being thrown out on a fielder's choice that allowed Jordan to reach first safely. A sacrifice bunt moved Jordan into scoring position before and RBI single for Anthony tied the game at 6-6. A walk moved Anthony into scoring position and a single up the middle from Jenna Boneysteele allowed Anthony to score and win the game for the Titans.

PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Cheyenne Piper (3-2)
L: Emma Asien (1-2)

VS MORAVIAN

A leadoff single for Shayla Morgan and a walk for Sydney Andrews got the top of the first started for the Greyhounds. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, before an RBI double for Kyra Holtje brought home two runs and gave the Greyhounds an early 2-0 lead. An infield single and an error scored Holtje and gave the Greyhounds a three-run lead after the top half of the inning. Rettler walked to lead off the bottom of the first and stole second to move into scoring position. An infield single for Hendrick placed runners at the corners with one out in the Firebirds half of the first. Hendrick then stole second and then both runners scored on an RBI single up the middle for Hristov to cut the deficit to 3-2 after one inning of play.

The Greyhounds went down one-two-three in the top of the second inning. Adler got the bottom of the inning started with a base hit down the right field line. Jessica Craig then entered as a pinch runner for Adler. Cardona advanced Craig on an infield single and a base hit up the middle for Rettler scored Craig to tie the game at 3-3. Cardona and Rettler moved into scoring position on a double steal and the Firebirds found themselves with runners on second and third with one out in the frame. Hendrick smacked a single down the left field line to bring both runners home and give Carthage a 5-3 lead after the first two innings of the game. 

The Greyhounds got a one-out single from Samantha Derickson but neither team could plate a run in the third inning. The two sides held the score at 5-3 through the fourth and fifth innings.

A one-out double for Natalie Chloros and a walk from Kaley Hoffman gave the Greyhounds an opportunity to cut into the two-run deficit in the top of the sixth inning. A two-out fielding error loaded the bases, but a fielder's choice allowed for the third out of the inning as the Firebirds escaped the dangerous inning without allowing a run. Boyd, Hendrick, and Hristove led off the bottom of the sixth inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Rachael Setterstrom reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Boyd to score and extend the Carthage lead to 6-3. Isabel Bates sent a ground ball back to the pitcher, who threw home to get Hendrick out at the plate, before an errant throw from the catcher to first base sailed down the right field line and allowed three runs to come home and make it a 9-3 ball game. 
The Greyhounds went down in order in the top of the seventh as Carthage claimed the upset win over one of the top teams in the country.

PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Anais Fernandez (1-2)
L Sarah DeStefano (1-3)



HITTING

• Clare Rettler: 4-7, 5 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 4 SB
• Olivia Hristov: 6-8, 1 R, 5 RBI
• Gwen Hendrick: 4-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SB

PITCHING

• Anais Fernandez (W, 1-2): 8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K
• Makayla Malone: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 1 K

The Firebirds (6-6) return to Wiers Family Stadium and Barbara Madrigano Field on Wednesday, March 18 for the team's home opening doubleheader against Concordia University Chicago. Action begins at 2:30 p.m. CST. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.