Softball Suffers Home-Opening Sweep

MILWAUKEE (WLCSports.com) – The visiting Carthage Lady Reds spoiled the home opener for the Wisconsin Lutheran College softball team Wednesday afternoon as they defeated the Warriors 1-0 in game one of the doubleheader then 4-1 in game two at Neumann Family Field.

THE BASICS

• Final Scores: Carthage 1, Wisconsin Lutheran 0; Carthage 4, Wisconsin Lutheran 1
• Records: Wisconsin Lutheran (5-7), Carthage (10-10)
• Location: Neumann Family Field, Milwaukee, Wis.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS

• Neither team threatened to score until the top of the third inning when Carthage had runners on first and third with no outs. Abby Mahsem (South Milwaukee, Wis.) got out of the jam after forcing three straight fly outs by the Lady Reds.
• After Ellie Bernero reached on a throwing error in the top of the fifth, Emmily Zinkiewicz drove her in with a single through the right side, putting Carthage up 1-0.
• The Lady Reds threatened to add to their lead in the top of the sixth inning after putting a runner on second with just one out, but Mahsem escaped the jam again without any harm.
• Karah Ritacco (Chicago, Ill.) led off the bottom of the inning with a single through the left side and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt, but WLC couldn't convert and left Ritacco stranded.
• Arianna Sanchez (Itasca, Ill.) walked to open the seventh inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, but the Warriors failed to score her from second and fell 1-0.
• Mahsem threw a complete game, allowing just one unearned run on eight hits. The junior struck out seven Lady Reds.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS

• The Lady Reds collected five hits in the opening three innings but were unable to open the scoring until the top of the fourth inning when they put runners on second and third with no outs. A wild pitch scored the first run of the inning and then Bernero drove in the second run with a groundout.
• WLC answered in the bottom of the fourth when Mahsem singled down the left field line, scoring Ritacco who walked earlier in the inning.
• Carthage added a run in the top of the fifth inning when Naomi Alonzo drove in a run with a single to right field, then added another insurance run in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Alonzo.
• The Warriors were unable to spark a comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning, falling 4-1.

FOR THE FOES

• Zinkiewicz drove in the lone run in game one of the doubleheader while Bernero threw a complete game, allowing just four hits while striking out four.
• Four different Carthage batters collected multiple hits in the second game, with Alonzo going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
• Alonzo pitched a complete game, allowing just one run on three hits.

UP NEXT

• The Warriors open conference play tomorrow when they host Marian in a 12:00 p.m. doubleheader at Neumann Family Field. The Sabres (10-6, 2-0 NACC) swept Dominican to open NACC play Tuesday evening.