Carthage 10, Wheaton 3
Carthage 8, Wheaton 1
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Carthage softball team opened CCIW in the Windy City on Wednesday afternoon against the North Park University Vikings. The Firebirds claimed the opener in a low-scoring defensive battle, before claiming a second victory in the late innings of the finale to sweep the Vikings.



GAME ONE

Emma Faubel pitched a shutout first inning, with just one Thunder hitter reaching on an infield error. Clare Rettler reached first on a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the first inning before stealing second base. An RBI single up the middle for Gwen Hendrick allowed Rettler to score and give the Firebirds a 1-0 lead. 

Faubel pitched a one-two-three inning in the top of the second inning. Isabel Bates led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle, but the Firebirds were unable to bring a run  home.

The Thunder found the scoreboard in the third inning after using a pair of hits and a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly to center field from Nori Kang brought home Shylah Dozeman to tie the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the third inning, Rettler reached base on a one-out walk, before stealing second for the second time in the game. A double to left center field by Rylee Boyd scored Rettler and gave the Firebirds a 2-1 lead. A triple from Hendrick scored Boyd, before Hendrick came home to score on a passed ball to give the Firebirds a 4-1 lead at the end of the inning.

Back-to-back singles gave the Thunder momentum to start the fourth inning. Faubel bounced back with a strikeout and a flyout, before Dozeman hit a double to right center, scoring two runs and cutting the Carthage lead to 4-3. The FIrebirds responded in the bottom of the inning as Hendrick hit an infield single to score Leiah Cardona, who reached on a one out walk earlier in the inning. An infield single for Olivia Hristov then scored Rettler to give the Firebirds a 6-3 lead. 

Faubel held the Thunder scoreless in the top of the fifth inning. Peyton KJryza led off the bottom half of the inning with a double down the left field line, before being pinch ran for by Jessica Craig. Craig then scored on a wild pitch to extend the Carthage lead to 7-3. Cardona then walked and later came around to score on an RBI single from Rettler. Rettler moved up to third, with Boyd advancing to second with a walk and a stolen base. Hendrick then hit an RBI single to second base and scored both runners to build the lead to 10-3. Both teams closed out the game without scoring another run.

PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Emma Faubel (6-3)
L: Shylah Dozeman (5-6)

GAME TWO

Faubel returned to start the second game for the Firebirds and allowed two hits in the opening frame, but prevented the Thunder from scoring a run. Rettler then led off the bottom of the first with a walk, before stealing second in the next at bat. Rettler then advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on an RBI single from Boyd. Hendrick then sent a home run over the right field wall to build a 3-0 lead for the Firebirds. 

A one-out hit and a walk got things started for the Thunder in the second inning. Faubel forced an infield fly before forcing a ground out to first base to end the inning without allowing a run. The Firebirds went down one-two-three in the bottom half of the inning.

The Thunder got a baserunner with one out on a bunt single from Abby Whitehead. Faubel responded by getting the next hitter to foul out to right field for the second out. Madeline Hillyer then walked to put runners at first and second with two outs. Livi Figueroa then singled to left field as all runners went station to station to load the bases. Dozeman stepped into the box and smacked a rocket to shortstop, where Hana Adler fielded the ball cleanly and stepped on second base for the force out to keep the Thunder out of the run column on the scoreboard. Boyd got the Carthage going in the bottom of the seventh inning, reaching on a single to left center field. Hendrick then singled to right field, advancing Boyd to third on the play. An RBI groundout for Hristov scored Boyd and extended the lead to 4-0. 

A leadoff walk spelled trouble; early for the Firebirds in the top of the fourth, but a pop out, a flyout, and a runner caught stealing kept the shutout intact. Kryza led off the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single to right center field, but the Firebirds were kept off the scoreboard in the inning.

Emma Asien entered to pitch in relief to start the top of the fifth inning. Asien started the inning with a strikeout, before allowing a single down the left field line from Whitehead and an infield single from Mia Reinhard to put two runners on with one out in the inning. A base hit up the middle for Hillyer brought home the Thunder's first run of the game, cutting the deficit to 4-1. A fielder's choice put runners at the corners with two outs in the inning, before another fielder's choice ended the inning and limited the damage at the one lone run. Cardona led off the bottom half of the inning with a walk before stealing second base. Rettler then hit an infield single to advance the runner and give the Firebirds a first and third opportunity with no outs. Boyd then reached on a fielding error, scoring both runners in the process and extending the lead to 6-1. A base hit for Hristov moved Boyd into scoring position. A double for Bates brought two runs home to give the Firebirds an 8-1 lead after five innings.

A pair of walks were all the Thunder could manifest in the top of the sixth, as the visiting team was kept out of the run column once again. The Thunder got two quick outs in the bottom half of the inning, before Rettler reached first on an infield single. Boyd stepped into the batter's box and Rettler swiped second on the opening pitch. Boyd then popped out to the pitcher, leaving the winning run stranded at second base.

The Thunder kicked off the seventh inning with a base hit from Reinhard. A lineout to short held the runner at first with one out in the frame. Another lineout brought the Firebirds an out away from victory, before a ground out to second base ended the game.

PITCHING DECISIONS:
W: Emma Faubel (7-3)
L: Dillon Watson (3-5)
S: Emma Asien (1)




HITTING

• Gwen Hendrick: 6-7, 2 R, 7 RBI, 1 3B, 1 SB
• Clare Rettler: 4-5,5 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 3 SB
• Olivia Hristov: 3-7, 1 R, 2 RBI
• Isabel Bates:  3-6, 2 RBI, 1 BB
• Rylee Boyd: 3-6, 5 R, 4 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB
• Peyton Kryza: 2-6, 1 2B
• Leiah Cardon: 0-3, 3 R, 3 BB, 1 SB

PITCHING

• Emma Faubel: 11.0 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• Emma Asien: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

The Firebirds (15-9, 4-0 CCIW) return to action on Tuesday, April 14 against Carroll University in Waukesha, Wis. The doubleheader action is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Carthage softball returns to Wiers Family Stadium on Thursday, April 16 against North Central for a CCIW doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. The games will be streamed live on the CCIW Network. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.