MARQUETTE, Mich. - Senior shortstop Megan Kohlmetz (Appleton, Wis.) went 3-for-4, including a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning, and scored two runs to lead the Carroll University softball team to a season-opening 5-2 victory over Finlandia University in the first round of the Finlandia Dome Classic at the Superior Dome on Friday.
As the game remained tied 2-2 after six complete innings, Carroll answered the challenge by scoring three times on five hits in the top of the seventh.
Sophomore right fielder Annika Graves (Muskego, Wis.) sparked the clutch inning by driving in what proved to be the winning run on an RBI sacrifice fly to right field. Sophomore center fielder Rosie Craine (Wheaton, Ill.) scored the game-winner after delivering a lead-off, ground-rule double and advancing to third on a single by Kohlmetz.
Sophomore catcher Veronica Rodriguez (South Bend, Ind.) followed with a run-scoring single and sophomore second baseman Maggie Erdman (Jefferson, Wis.) added an RBI double to cap the final-inning scoring surge.
Senior first baseman Kelly Strasser (Waterford, Wis.) collected two hits for Carroll, which generated nine hits and committed one error. Senior starting pitcher Hannah Miller (Chicago, Ill.) also drove in a run for the Pioneers, who overcame an early 2-0 deficit.
Freshman right-hander Lexy Kemnitzer (McFarland, Wis.) was the winning pitcher, not yielding a run or hit with four strikeouts, one walk  and a hit batsman over the course of the final three innings.
Freshman left fielder Makenna Lloyd went 2-for-3 and an RBI for Finlandia, which dropped to 1-1 overall. Freshman first baseman Emily Nguyen drove in the other run for the Lions, who were limited to five hits and had three errors.
Freshman Denia Bent allowed four earned runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk in taking a complete-game loss.