WAUKESHA, Wis. - Freshman shortstop Jordan Wermund (Stevensville, Mich.) scored the winning run as the result of an error in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Carroll University softball team defeated Cardinal Stritch University 2-1 in the opening game of a cold, overcast nonconference doubleheader at Kilgour Field on Monday afternoon.
It was the home opener for Carroll, which won its third straight to improve to 10-7 overall.
On the game-winning bang-bang play that came as the score remained tied 1-1 with a runner at third base and two outs, sophomore pitcher Lexy Kemnitzer (McFarland, Wis.) hit a hard ground ball toward the left side of the infield and sprinted hard down the first-base line.
Stritch senior third baseman Josie Kampwerth fielded the ball cleanly and made what appeared to be an inning-ending throw to first base but sophomore first baseman Aja Martinez dropped the ball - allowing Wermund to score from third.
Wermund delivered a clutch one-out double to deep center field and advanced to third on a groundout by freshman third baseman Allyssa Demma (Orland Park, Ill.) to set the stage for the winning run.
Carroll scored the first run of the contest in the fourth as sophomore pinch hitter Rosalie Jrolf (Dousman, Wis.) came through with a one-out, RBI single to left field.
Stritch tied the game in the top of the fifth on a run-scoring double by junior catcher Emily Parks.
Kemnitzer was the winning pitcher, scattering seven hits with a career-high nine strikeouts, three walks and a hit batsman to earn a complete-game victory.
"It was a great fight the entire way," said Kemnitzer, who improved her record to 5-3 overall. "Even though they scored a run to tie the game, we showed our resilience by coming back one more time to take the lead in the fifth inning."
Kemnitzer, one of eight sophomores on the roster this season, showcased her composure in the circle by working out of pressure-packed situations with runners in scoring position in both the fourth and fifth innings.
In the fourth with runners on second and third with one out, the determined right-hander responded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning. She then carried the momentum over into the fifth and fought through a bases-loaded situation by forcing a two-out inning-ending groundout.
"With runners in scoring position, it created a few anxious moments so that's when I just attempted to battle through it and focus on hitting the strike zone," she added. "Even though it was freezing out, I was able to pitch with confidence and continued to get stronger as the game went on. It was just nice to play at home again and get another hard-fought victory to pump us up as we continue to prepare for the conference season."