WAUKESHA, Wis. - Rosalie Jrolf's clutch, pressure-packed hit made a lasting impact.
Jrolf, a sophomore left fielder from Dousman, Wis., drove in the winning run on a double in the top of the sixth to lead the Carroll University softball team to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Elmhurst College in the finale of a sunny, cool College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Kilgour Field on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth one-run conference victory for Carroll, which finished the regular season 10-6 in the league standings (third place) and 22-14 overall - clinching a berth in the upcoming CCIW Tournament in the process.
The third-seeded Pioneers are scheduled to face second-seeded North Central in an opening-round game at Bloomington, Ill. on Friday, May 4 at noon.
Top-seeded regular-season champion Illinois Wesleyan will host the tournament and face fourth-seeded Carthage in the other first-round contest at 2 p.m.
Tied 1-1 in the sixth with a runner at second and two outs, Jrolf stepped up to the pressure-packed situation by delivering the game-winner.
"In all my years of playing, the greatest success has always come when not really thinking about it and just reacting to the situation," said a smiling Jrolf, of the tension-filled hit. "It was a pitch on the inside part of the plate and I just went with it. 
"With a berth in the conference tournament on the line, it was a great feeling to be able to come through with a big hit when it counted the most. We just played hard, had fun and made it happen."
Freshman shortstop Jordan Wermund (Stevensville, Mich.) scored the winning run after a lead-off single and advanced to second on a sacrifice ground out by freshman designated hitter Allyssa Demma (Orland Park, Ill.)
Junior right fielder Annika Graves (Muskego, Wis.) made what proved to be a game-saving diving catch with two outs in the bottom of the sixth for the Pioneers.
"With two outs and the tying run on third, we knew that we were going to have to lay out for anything hit close in the outfield," said Graves, of the ball hit to shallow right-center field. "When the ball started to drop, I gave it my best, went hard after it and ended up making the catch."
Carroll head coach Amy Gradecki, was proud of how her young, scrappy team worked through the pressure and responded with arguably its biggest victory of the season.
"After coming up short in the first game, it was great to be able to bounce back, maintain our focus and come away with an essential victory," said Gradecki, of the resilient effort. "It was nervewracking so we just had to concentrate on the task at hand, play our game and see what would happen."
Carroll scored the critical first run of the game as Graves scored from third on a perfectly executed double steal in the top of the first.
Elmhurst tied the contest as left fielder Val Perelli scored as the result of a double steal in the bottom of the first - setting the stage for the dramatic finish.
Sophomore right-hander Lexy Kemnitzer (McFarland, Wis.), who relieved freshman starter Rachel Piontek (Green Bay, Wis.) in the fifth, was the winning pitcher, - allowing only three hits over the course of the final 2 1/3 innings.
Elmhurst ended the season 6-10 and 15-19 overall.