Carthage 15, Beloit 6 (5 Innings)
Carthage 12, Beloit 4 (6 Innings)
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Carthage softball team hosted the Beloit Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at Wiers Family Stadium. It was a strong showing for the Firebirds, as the squad earned back to back wins by run rule to earn the doubleheader sweep over the Buccaneers.



GAME ONE

The Firebirds got on the scoreboard first with an RBI double down the left field line from Rylee Boyd to score Clare Retter. A sacrifice flyout for Olivia Hristov scored Boyd to give the Firebirds a 2-0 lead at the end of the first inning.

The Buccaneers answered in the top of the second with an RBI groundout from Avary Briggs that cut the deficit to 2-1. The Firebirds responded in the bottom of the inning with an inside the park home run from Rettler that scored Leiah Cardona and Rachael Setterstrom. The Firebirds tallied two more runs on RBI singles from Gwen Hendrick and Isabel Bates to make it a 7-1 ballgame.

The Buccaneers responded with five runs in the top of the third inning, once again making it a one-run game. The Firebirds extended the lead to 8-6 in the bottom of the inning as Isabelle Stombres scored on a wild pitch.

The Firebirds added one more run in the fourth inning, as an RBI single for Angela Parker scored Isabel Bates from second base.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Boyd got the scoring started with an RBI single to score Rettler and give the Firebirds a 10-6 lead. A triple for Hendrick and a single for Hristov scored two more runs and extended the lead to 12-6. Stombres reached on a fielder's choice to score Hristov and bring the Firebirds within one run of the victory. Grace Osterbur entered as a pinch hitter and sent a double into left center field to score Stombres and Bates to secure the victory in five innings. 

PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Emma Faubel (3-3)
L: Zoey Bucholtz (0-5)

GAME TWO

Hendrick got the finale started with an RBI single to bring home Rettler. Parker then grounded out to bring home Hendrick to make it a 2-0 lead. Peyton Kryza extended the lead with a three-run home run to give the Firebirds a 5-0 lead at the end of the first inning.

Cardona scored on a bunt single from Rettler to open the second inning. Rettler then scored on an RBI single from Hendrick, who then scored on an RBI double from Parker to give Carthage an 8-0 lead.

The Buccaneers got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fourth inning, before a sacrifice fly for Jillian Olsen scored Jessica Craig to give Carthage a 9-2 lead. The Buccaneers added two more runs in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 9-4.

The Firebirds added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI double from Stombres and an RBI single for Brooke Steele. Another RBI hit for Stombres in the sixth would end the game at 12-4.

PITCHING DECISIONS:
W: Emma Asien (2-3)
L: Kaylee Witte (0-2)




HITTING

• Clare Rettler: 5-6, 5 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 3 SB
• Rylee Boyd: 3-8, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B 
• Gwen Hendrick: 4-6, 4 R, 4 RBI, 1 3B, 1 SB
• Olivia Hristov: 1-2, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• Isabel Bates: 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB
• Angela Parker: 4-8, 3 RBI, 1 2B
• Leah Cardona: 2-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB
• Isabelle Stombres: 3-5, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 2B
• Peyton Kryza: 1-1, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR

PITCHING

• Emma Asien: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Emma Faubel: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K

The Firebirds (9-9) return to action on Wednesday, April 1 as the team hosts Concordia Chicago for a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m. The games will be streamed live on the CCIW Network. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.