Wheaton, Ill. – The Carroll University softball team defeated the Wheaton College Thunder this afternoon on the road at Ruth Leedy Field. Carroll swept the Thunder, winning the season series 3-1. Carroll won game one by a score of 4-1, while game two was decided by a score of 5-2.
 
The Pioneers (17-13, 13-9 CCIW) have won its first CCIW season series of the year against Wheaton, after splitting earlier this year at Kilgour Field. Carroll totaled 20 hits, 10 in each game. Allyssa Demma tallied four hits with two runs and an RBI through both games. Kaylee Learman hit another home run tonight, bringing her season total to five, tying for her personal best in a season. Learman and Lauren Harshbarger both tallied two RBI on the day as well. Learman, Claudia Spencer, and Bridget Rath all hit doubles, while Maria Mundt laid down two sacrifice hits.
 
Game 1
The Pioneers started the game quickly starting with a single to the right side by Sierra Grubor. A walk by Learman and a fielder's choice for Demma forced Grubor out, but left runners on first and second. A fly ball to deep center-field ending the inning and the threat.
 
Amanda Osterhus in her 17^th appearance this season walked three batters through her first two innings of work and didn't record a strikeout until the bottom of the third, after giving up a double to right field.
 
With two outs in the top of the fifth, Carroll struck starting with a single by Mathena Higgins up the middle. After a fielding error put Higgins and Gurbor on base, Learman singled for the first score of the game. Demma followed suit with an RBI single of her own to score Grubor. Rath loaded the bases for Harshbarger, but a force out ended the inning.
 
Carroll added two more in the top of the sixth, as Spencer scored unearned after her double to left field. With Mundt on third, Grubor legged out an infield hit to score Mundt on the play to make the score 4-0 Pioneers.
 
Osterhus walked three straight batters with no outs in the bottom of the seventh to load the bases. A fielder's choice RBI cut the Carroll lead 4-1, but an out was recorded. Osterhus collected her seventh and eighth strikeout to end the game.
 
Game 2
Learman struck first with her home run to center-field in the bottom of the first inning in game two. Carroll added one more in the bottom of the fourth off of Demma's single up the middle that led to Rath's double to right-center. With runners on second and third, Harshbarger came through with a single to center to bring the score to 2-0.
 
Wheaton finally scored on Grace Bradley in the top of the fifth, stemming from a leadoff single. The unearned run came after a fielding error followed soon by an RBI single back to the pitcher. Bradley forced a ground out to end the inning.
 
The Pioneers nearly batted around in the bottom of the sixth after Learman doubled to left-center to lead off the inning. Demma followed suit with a single, and both advanced a base on a wild pitch. Rath earned her RBI on a single to left, and Harshbarger added another with her single up the middle to bring the lead to 4-1. Spencer forced a pitching change after she added to the lead scoring Rath on a single to left. Mundt loaded the bases, but the Pios were stopped at three runs in the sixth.
 
Bradley surrendered an RBI single in the top of the seventh as the Thunder tried to rally back. With two outs and the bases loaded off three straight singles, Bradley got the final out by forcing a fly ball to center field. Bradley notched her third complete game of the season, and her sixth win.
 
Carroll has a three doubleheader homestand on the horizon, starting with Millikin on Saturday at 1 PM. The Pioneers split with the Big Blue earlier this season in Decatur.