Waukesha, Wis. – The Carroll University softball team has made it to the final weekend of the 2021 CCIW Softball Tournament. The Pioneers will take on the Carthage College Firebirds on Thursday, May 13 at 1 PM in Kenosha.
 
The Pioneers got to this point after finishing 1-1 last weekend at the start of the tournament. The Pioneers dropped its opening-round game to the no. 5 seed North Central by a score of 0-6 but then shut out no. 8 Augustana 6-0 two days later down in Decatur.  Carroll is on the consolation side of the tournament bracket.
 
The Pioneers last saw the Firebirds the week of April 27. In the four-game series, the Pioneers won the regular-season series three wins to one, including the first sweep of the Firebirds since 1997. Mathena Higgins had the hot bat, hitting 9 for 16 with a double, three RBI, and a team-high five runs scored. Kaylee Learman continued to slug the ball, adding a double and a home run to her season total, finishing with a .900 slugging percentage.
 
Pio pitching held its own against the Firebirds, as Breanna Roberts, Grace Bradley, and Amanda Osterhus all collected wins. Osterhus tallied 11 strikeouts through four games, Roberts finished with a .70 ERA, and Bradley got her first career complete-game shutout.
With a win, the Pioneers will advance to the consolation semi-finals, against the winner of Wheaton and North Central, scheduled to take place on Friday, May 14 at 2:30 PM at Millikin, the host of the 2021 CCIW Softball Tournament.