Carthage College Athletics

Wis-Stevens Point 6, Carthage 4
Carthage 13, Wis-Stevens Point 0 (5 inn.)
KENOSHA, Wis. - The Carthage softball team concluded the 2026 regular season with a pair of home games against the Wis-Stevens Point Pointers at Wiers Family Stadium. The Pointers claimed the opening game in a tightly fought contest, but a nine-run inning in game two would allow the Firebirds to soar past the Pointers for the victory to force the doubleheader split.



GAME ONE

The Pointers found the scoreboard in the top of the third with a one-out home run from Hailee Thompson to take a 1-0 lead. An RBI double for Rachael Madsen brought home two more runs and the Pointers ended the half of the inning with a 3-0 lead.

The Firebirds answered back in the bottom of the third inning as Olivia Hristov hit an RBI single through the left side to bring home Rylee Boyd. A groundout for Rachael Setterstrom brought home Gwen Hendrick before Hristov scored on an RBI double for Angela Parker to tie the game at 3-3 at the conclusion of the third inning.

The Pointers responded right away in the top of the fourth inning with a sacrifice flyout for Thompson that scored Kodi Rizzo. An infield error allowed a second run to score before an infield single plated the third run of the inning for the Pointers to give the visiting squad a 6-3 lead. 

The Firebirds looked to battle back in the bottom of the seventh inning, adding a run when Hristov hit a sacrifice flyout to right field to bring home Rettler and cut the deficit to 6-4. The comeback would end there as the Pointers found a way to get the third out and claim the win in the opener.

PITCHING DECISIONS
W: Kodi Rizzo (8-1)
L: Olivia Hristov (4-4)

GAME TWO

The Firebirds wasted no time getting on the board first in the second game as an RBI double down the left field line for Hendrick scored Boyd to give Carthage a 1-0 lead. 

Carthage added on in the top of the second inning with an RBI triple for Rettler. Leiah Cardona and Hana Adler scored on the play to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Firebirds offense erupted in the top of the fourth inning for nine runs to build a blowout lead. Rettler started the scoring with an RBI single up the middle to score Parker and load the bases. Two batters later, Hendrick sent a ball over the center field fence for a grand slam to boost the lead to 8-0. After the Firebirds had batted through the entire lineup in the inning, Parker doubled to center field to score Setterstrom and Hristov. A two-run home run for Addison Simonson extended the lead to 12-0 to end the inning.

The Firebirds added one more run in the fifth inning on an RBI single for Hristov, before enforcing the run rule with a 13-0 win over the Pointers.

PITCHING DECISIONS:
W: Emma Faubel (10-7)
L: Mallorie Kreuser (6-4)




HITTING

• Gwen Hendrick: 5-8, 2 R, 5 RBI, 1 SB
• Rylee Boyd: 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
• Olivia Hristov: 3-6, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB
• Clare Rettler: 5-8, 3 R, 3 RBI
• Angela Parker: 3-6, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B
• Peyton Kryza: 1-3
• Hana Adler: 2-2, 2 R, 1 BB

PITCHING

• Emma Faubel: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, .222 OBA
• Eden Youngbauer: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 B, 0 K, 6 BF

The Firebirds (20-20, 8-8 CCIW) will now look ahead to the 2026 CCIW Softball Tournament which will begin on Thursday, May 7. The Firebirds will enter the tournament as the No. 5 seed and will take on the No. 4 seed North Central College at 12 p.m. in Bloomington, Ill. The winner of that game will play the top-seeded host Illinois Wesleyan University at 4 p.m. on Thursday. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.