WAUKESHA, Wis. - It was a good old-fashioned nail-biter.
That was a fitting way to describe the tension-filled atmosphere as the Carroll University softball team lost to first-place Millikin University 1-0 in the opening game of a College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Kilgour Field on Saturday afternoon.
It was the third consecutive shutout loss for the Pioneers, who dropped to 6-5 in the conference standings and 15-16 overall.
Millikin, which improved to 12-1 in league and 27-9 overall, scored what proved to be the winning run on an RBI single by freshman shortstop Kalli Farmer in the top of the sixth inning.
Farmer went 2-for-3 for the Big Blue, who didn't commit an error in the spirited contest.
Junior left-hander Cathy Lebryk was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits with two strikeouts and two walks in going the distance.
Freshman right-hander Amanda Osterhus (Munster, Ind.) pitched a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts and two walks to lead Carroll, which stranded eight baserunners in the pressure-packed showdown.
"I just tried to come out strong, hit my spots and do my part to help set the tone," said Osterhus, the team's hard-throwing ace who is 6-6 overall with a 2.05 earned run average and 114 strikeouts in 88 innings this season. ""Coming into the game, we were all motivated to beat the No. 1 team in the conference and to have it decided by one run was a great accomplishment. 
"From start to finish, we came out swinging so it was too bad that we couldn't get the runs across. Throughout the game, we hit the ball hard but just came up a little short at the end. With four more conference games left, we hope to push through, get some big victories and take another step forward toward the conference tournament."
Senior left fielder Hannah Miller (Chicago, Ill.) went 2-for-4 with a double for the Pioneers, who had runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh but couldn't get the big hit. Sophomore right fielder Annika Graves (Muskego, Wis.) also contributed two hits.