WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Carroll University softball team lost to Cardinal Stritch University 8-2 to cap a frigid home-opening nonconference doubleheader at Kilgour Field on Monday night.
It was the first home-field loss of the season for Carroll, which split the twin bill and dropped to 10-8 overall.
The contest remained scoreless after three innings but Cardinal Stritch took the lead on an RBI double by senior left fielder Cindy Garces in the top of the fourth. 
The Wolves followed with four runs to extend the lead to 5-0 in what proved to be a decisive top of the fifth, powered by a game-winning double by sophomore winning pitcher Fatime Sino.
Carroll answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by freshman shortstop Jordan Wermund (Stevensville, Mich.).
Stritch, which pounded out 11 hits and improved to 11-13 overall, added a run in the sixth on a solo home run by junior shortstop Karly Lange.
Carroll collected its final run in the sixth on an RBI double from freshman catcher Allyssa Demma (Orland Park, Ill.).
Junior right-fielder Annika Graves (Muskego, Wis.), junior center fielder Rosie Craine (Wheaton, Ill.) and sophomore first baseman Elaine Anderson (Bristol, Wis.) each added a hit for the Pioneers.
Sino, a right-hander, yielded five hits with one strikeout and one walk through 5 1/3 innings.
Sophomore right-hander Amanda Osterhus (Munster, Ind.) took the loss, scattering 10 hits with nine strikeouts, two walks and a hit batsman through six complete innings. Osterhus, 5-4 overall, faced two batters in the seventh before being relieved by freshman right-hander Rachel Piontek (Green Bay, Wis.).
"Cardinal Stritch was able to get a few of their big hitters on track and that's when they took control," Carroll head coach Amy Gradecki said. "Looking back, we played decent at times but they simply were better in the second game to close out the day. 
With it being cold and not knowing until later in the morning if we were going to get the chance to play today, it was tough to stay emotionally prepared. We feel fortunate to have gotten both games in so the experience of playing at home for the first time this season will only help in our progression. We're a really young team and just need to stay patient as we continue to move forward."