DECATUR, Ill. - Junior catcher Veronica Rodriguez (South Bend, Ind.) scored the winning run as the result of an error in the top of the second innng as the Carroll University softball team edged Millikin University 1-0 in the first game of a cloudy, breezy College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Workman Family Field on Sunday afternoon.
It was the ninth shutout victory of the season for Carroll, which improved to 7-2 in the conference standings and 19-10 overall.
Rodriguez reached on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a walk and later scored on a throwing error by Millikin senior first baseman Chelsea Eads.
Junior center fielder Rosie Craine (Wheaton, Ill.) and sophomore left fielder Rosalie Jrolf (Dousman, Wis.) each went 2-for-3 to power a six-hit offensive attack for Carroll, which had three doubles in the pressure-packed contest.
Sophomore right-hander Amanda Osterhus (Munster, Ind.) pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts and two walks en route to a complete-game victory.
Osterhus, who improved to 11-4 overall and currently has a program-record 158 strikeouts, finished the outing by forcing a game-ending groundout.
Senior left-hander Cathy Lebryk took the complete-game loss, scattering six hits with one strikeout and two walks for Millikin, which dropped to 4-7 in conference and 17-12 overall.