WAUKESHA, Wis. - The Carroll University softball team defeated Wheaton College 11-0 in the opening game of a sunny, mild College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin doubleheader at Kilgour Field on Saturday afternoon.
It was the fourth shutout victory of the season for Carroll, which improved to 7-2 in the league standings and 21-11 overall.
The game was limited to five innings as the 10-run rule was enforced.
Freshman shortstop Madison Wagner (Harrison, Wis.) went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and scored a run to help power a 14-hit offensive attack for Carroll. Freshman center fielder Sierra Grubor (Milwaukee, Wis.) also contributed three hits with junior third baseman Lexy Kemnitzer (McFarland, Wis.) and freshman first baseman Kaylee Learman (Greenwood, Wis.) each adding two hits.
The Pioneers scored four runs on four hits in what proved to be a decisive bottom of the first inning - fueled on what became a game-winning one-out RBI single by junior left fielder Rosalie Jrolf (Dousman, Wis.), a run-scoring fielder's choice from senior catcher Veronica Rodriguez (South Bend, Ind.) and a two-run single from Learman.
Carroll extended the lead to 5-0 in the second on an RBI single by Wagner.
"It was an all-around great game," said Wagner, who has a .314 batting average and is one of five players in the lineup to be hitting .300 or better. "We played well, came together as a team, managed to get a good string of hits going early on and put some runs on the board. As a group, we love getting off to a fast start, feeding off of one another and making the most of the situation.
"We all just came into the day with the mentality that we wanted to win. Everyone was pumped up, ready to play and it really showed on the field. It's a close conference race and every game matters at this point. Now we just have to play hard, do our best to get each victory and make it to the CCIW Tournament."
The Pioneers finished the contest with six runs on seven hits in the fourth, highlighted by a string of timely run-scoring singles by Learman, Wagner, Grubor and senior right fielder Annika Graves (Muskego, Wis.). Sophomore designated hitter Allyssa Demma (Orland Park, Ill.) drove in the other run on an RBI groundout.
Junior right-hander Amanda Osterhus pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk through four complete innings to earn the victory.
Osterhus, who improved to 12-5 overall, currently has a 1.58 earned run average with 136 strikeouts through 102 1/3 innings.