Carthage 9, Penn State Brandywine 8 (8 Inn.)
Carnegie Mellon 8, Carthage 6
CLERMONT, Fla. - The Carthage softball team opened the 2026 season in Florida on Saturday against the Penn State Brandywine Nittany Lions and the Carnegie Mellon Tartans. The Firebirds offense got off to a hot start, scoring nine runs to defeat the Nittany Lions in extra innings.



VS PENN STATE BRANDYWINE

Rylee Boyd got the Firebirds on the board in the first inning with a solo home run to left field as the Firebirds claimed a 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the first, the Nittany Lions placed two runners on base, but a pair of strikeouts for Emma Faubel kept the Nittany Lions out of the run column in the opening frame.

The Firebirds went down one-two-three in the top half of the second, before the Nittany Lions used back to back walks to have two runners on base with no outs in the bottom of the second. Carthage Head Coach Amy Gillmore made a pitching change, bringing in Olivia Hristov to attempt to limit the damage. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner over to second and third with one out, but Hristov found a way to get two outs without allowing a run to score as the Firebirds continued to hold a 1-0 lead.

Hana Adler opened the third inning with a leadoff single to left center field, before being pulled for a pinch runner, Isabel Bates. Clare Rettler singled to third, advancing Bates to second base. Riley Boyd continued the early season success, slicing a double down the left field line and scoring both Bates and Rettler to extend the Carthage lead to 3-0. Gwen Hendrick then extended the lead to 5-0 after sending a two-run home run over the center field wall. The Nittany Lions went one-two-three in the bottom of the third.

The Firebirds got a lone single in the top half of the fourth but could not bring a run home. The Nittany Lions got the bottom of the fourth inning started quickly, with Ava Rogers reaching base on a hit by pitch. Rogers was replaced by pinch runner Valentina Capra, who advanced to second base on a wild pitch. An RBI single from Jordan DuBois scored Capra to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Rettler got on base with a leadoff single in the fifth and quickly stole second base and third base to move into the scoring position, but the Firebirds were unable to plate a run in the inning. A pair of errors to open the bottom of the fifth gave the Nittany Lions two runners on with no out in the bottom of the inning. A single from Rogers brought across a run and cut the deficit to 5–2. The Nittany Lions had the bases loaded with no outs before a walk for Olivia Bowers brought home the second run of the inning for Penn State. Carthage reliever Eden Youngbauer then struck out three straight batters to end the inning and limit the damage at 5-3. 
The Firebirds were held scoreless again in the top of the sixth inning, which allowed the Nittany Lions to cut the deficit further. In the bottom half of the inning, Lexi Bussenger utilized a bunt single to open the inning before stealing both second and third base. An RBI double from Emma McElroy brought home Bussenger and brought the Nittany Lions within one run of tying the game at 5-4.

The Firebirds offense found its stride again in the top of the seventh, as Rettler got on base with a one-out single to left field and then stole second base. Boyd then singled through the left side, advancing Rettler to third base. Boyd then stole second to put two runners in scoring position with one out. A triple for Hendrick to right center brought both runners home and extended the Carthage lead to 7-4. A fielding error allowed Hendrick to score from third and give the Firebirds an 8-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. The Nittany Lions did not go down quietly in the bottom of the inning, as a throwing error and a pair of walks loaded the bases for Penn State with no outs. Gillmore went to the bullpen once again, this time for reliever Ellie Fapp. A fielder's choice allowed a run to score and the Nittany Lions had runners on the corners with one out. A ground out to second base allowed a runner to score from third and cut the deficit to 8-6 before a home run for McElroy tied the game at 8-8 and sent the game to extra innings.

In the eighth inning, Angela Parker started on second for extra inning rules and advanced to third on a groundout for Adler. A single from Leiah Cardona allowed the go-ahead for the run to score and give the Firebirds a 9-8 lead. The Firebirds would not score any more runs in the half inning and looked to hold on for the win in the bottom of the eighth. Faubel returned to the game to pitch for the Firebirds to start the inning, striking out the first two batters that came to the plate. Faubel then walked the third hitter she faced, placing the winning run on first for the Nittany Lions. Faubel recovered quickly, striking out DuBois and securing the win for the Firebirds.

VS CARNEGIE MELLON

The Tartans got things started in the top half of the first, using an RBI double from Reagan Diamond and an RBI single from Sophia Doherty to give the Tartans a 2-0 lead to start the ball game. The Firebirds responded quickly, with Rettler starting the inning with a single to right field and a stolen base. A single through the left side from Boyd scored Rettler to get Carthage on the scoreboard. Boyd advanced from first to third by way of a passed ball and a wild pitch, before scoring on a groundout from Hendrick to tie the game at 2-2.

The Tartans struck again in the second inning, using an RBI single for Maddy Beall and a throwing error by the Firebirds to jump ahead 4-2 over the Firebirds. Carthage once again answered the bell in the bottom of the second. Rachael Setterstrom singled through the left side and later stole second base. An infield single from Cardona scored Setterstrom and cut into the deficit. Cardona then stole second and third base before scoring on an RBI single for Rettler, tying the game at 4-4 to end the inning.

Doherty gave the Tartans the lead with a leadoff home run to open the third inning, serving as the lone run as the Tartans ended the top half of the inning with a 5-4 lead. Hendrick led off the bottom half of the third inning with a double to left field. A fielder's choice advanced Hendrick to third before a sacrifice fly for Addison Simonson brought the run home and tied the game. A single from Adler scored Jessica Craig and gave the Firebirds a 6-5 lead to end the third inning.

The lead did not last long, as the Tartans came away with two runs in the fourth inning. The first run scored on an RBI single from Doherty, before the go ahead run came on an RBI single from Jasmine Chao to put the Tartans ahead 7-6. The Firebirds went down quickly in the bottom of the fourth inning with three strike outs.

The two teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. The final run of the game came in the top of the seventh inning, as the Tartans tallied an insurance run on an RBI single from Gabrielle Yamoah.


 

• Clare Rettler - 6-9 (.667), 3 R, 1 RBI, 6 SB
• Rylee Boyd - 4-7 (.571), 4 R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR, 1.143 SLG%
• Gwen Hendrick - 3-9, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2B, 3B, HR, 1.000 SLG%
• Emma Faubel - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 SO,  2.50 WHIP

The Firebirds (1-1) return to action on Sunday, March 7 for another Florida doubleheader against Curry College at 10 a.m. EST and Heidelberg University at 12:30 p.m. EST. The games will be streamed live on FloCollege. 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.