Late-Inning Rally Sends Softball To Non-Conference Split At Carthage

KENOSHA, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College came from behind in game two to salvage a non-conference split with Carthage on Friday at Wiers Family Stadium. The Warriors (6-12) dropped the opener 9-1 in five innings before grabbing a 7-6 comeback win over the Firebirds (12-6) in the nightcap.

WLC's first three batters reached in the top of the first inning and sophomore Emily Cardenas (Lake Stevens, Wash.) came through three batters later with a two-out single that plated freshman Madison Heller (South Milwaukee, Wis.) for a 1-0 lead.

CC tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning with a run on three hits. Carthage went ahead the next inning with four runs on five hits for a four-run advantage. They added three tallies in the third and a game-ending run in the fifth to account for their nine runs.

Heller finished 2-for-3 with a run in game one for Wisconsin Lutheran, which didn't threaten after the second inning. 

Heller leadoff game two with a ball hit over a falling right fielder for an inside-the-park home run to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. The Firebirds plated three runs on two hits in the bottom of the second to grab a two-run advantage.

WLC evened the contest at 3-3 in the fifth on a RBI single from junior Gwen Malecke (Gilberts, Ill.) and a sacrifice fly from senior Ashley Corley (Plainfield, Ill.). CC answered back with three runs on three hits in its half of the fifth to double its lead at 6-3.

In the sixth, Wisconsin Lutheran got a RBI double from freshman Alea Anhalt (Fond du Lac, Wis.) and freshman pinch runner Abby Hahm (Hilton, N.Y.) came home from third on sophomore Juliana Sieber's (Oconto, Wis.) steal of second to make the score 6-5.

Senior Lexi Martin (Westfield, Ind.) leadoff the seventh inning with a home run to right, her second of the season. Four batters later, Anhalt came through with a two-out triple down the right field line that scored junior Allison Powers (Sun Prairie, Wis.) for a 7-6 Warriors lead. Junior Melissa Tonn (West Allis, Wis.) came in to close the door in the bottom of the seventh for her first save of the season.

Martin went 3-for-3 with a RBI, run, and a walk to lead WLC at the plate. Malecke and Anhalt had two hits each, while Anhalt drove in two runs. Senior Kacey Mietsner (Elwood, Ill.) tossed a pair of scoreless relief innings to pickup her first win of the year, while Tonn tallied her first save.

Wisconsin Lutheran is scheduled to host Benedictine (8-6, 1-3 NACC) on Sunday for its home-opening NACC doubleheader at 12 p.m. at Neumann Family Field. Live coverage links can be found at WLCSports.com.