Naperville, Ill. – The Carroll University softball team finished its regular-season series with the North Central 2-2 after splitting with the Cardinals on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers collected its 10^th CCIW win in game one with a 3-1 decision but fell in game two 0-2.
 
The Pioneers (14-12, 10-8 CCIW) posted 18 total hits but only collected three runs through both contests. Kaylee Learman and Sierra Grubor both added four hits through both games, with Learman adding two more doubles to her season total. Mathena Higgins added a triple and one of the Pioneer runs. Grubor, Learman, and Claudia Spencer tallied the three Pio RBI in game one.
 
Game 1
Amanda Osterhus picked up her fourth straight win and her seventh straight complete-game after going 7 innings, allowing one earned run, walking one, and striking out six. Osterhus allowed the first run of the game early, surrendering her lone walk and RBI double in the bottom of the first inning. She struck out the next batter to get out of the inning.
 
Carroll first got on the board in the top of the third with Higgins' triple to left-center. Grubor landed a single to center-field to score Higgins and tie the game 1-1. An inning later, a leadoff single by Allyssa Demma followed by a single by Bridget Rath gave Claudia Spencer the opportunity to drive in Lyndsey Rost, who pinch ran for Demma, from second base. Rath threatened a play later to add to the lead but was called out at the plate.
 
Carroll picked up a security run in the top of the seventh thanks to Learman's single up the middle that scored Maria Mundt. Osterhus got out of a jam with runners on first and second but forced a pop-up to Lauren Harshbarger to end the game.
 
Game 2
With North Central playing the away team in game two, the Cardinals jumped out to a 1-0 lead from back-to-back doubles to the left-field area. Breanna Roberts surrendered the two hits but remained in for the remaining of the game. Roberts pitched her first career complete-game, surrendering just two runs on 10 hits while striking out a tied for career-best six.
 
The Pioneers had an opportunity early to tie or take a lead in the bottom of the first. After a Demma single to right loaded the bases with one out, Rath hit into a fielder's choice that stopped Grubor short of scoring. Spencer popped up on the first pitch she saw to leave three on base.
 
Carroll had Spencer and Maria Mundt on the corners in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, but a deep fly ball by the left fielder was hauled in off Higgins' bat. North Central added one more run in the top of the fifth off an RBI single that scored a runner from second.
 
Higgins led off the bottom of the seventh with a four-pitch walk but was called out the next at-bat later by a Grubor fielder's choice. Demma singled to send Grubor in scoring position, but the final out of the game was recorded as Rath grounded out to third base on bunt single attempt.
 
Carroll hosts Illinois Wesleyan tomorrow afternoon with a noon start time at Kilgour Field. The Pioneers were swept by the Titans earlier this season, but Carroll has not played IWU in Waukesha since 2017.