Waukesha, Wis. – The Carroll University Pioneers softball team finished its regular season on the road at North Park in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. The Pioneers surrendered late-inning runs in both games, falling 5-6 (11 Inn.) in game one and 0-7 in game two.
 
The Pioneers (21-19, 17-15 CCIW) fall back to just two games over .500 after finishing the week of play 3-3. The Pios hit the ball well in game one, notching 14 hits, but couldn't translate that to game two where they were shut out with just one hit. Lauren Harshbarger earned the lone hit in game two and finished with three hits on the day total. Bridget Rath also had three hits, all coming in game one. Kaylee Learman tallied two runs and an RBI double.
 
Game 1
Carroll struck right away in the top of the first inning, with Learman's RBI double to score Sierra Grubor from first. Rath struck out, but a passed ball turned into an error by first base allowing Learman to score from third before the inning ended.
 
Carroll added one more run on a Mathena Higgins fielder's choice RBI that scored Claudia Spencer, to make the Carroll lead 3-0 after two innings. Grubor legged out an RBI single to shortstop, to score Wimmer unearned in the top of the fourth for the fourth run of the game.
 
Amanda Osterhus pitched the first six innings allowing just two hits and striking out seven. Osterhus loaded the bases and gave up the game-tying grand slam. After a double the next at-bat, Osterhus was replaced by Breanna Roberts. Roberts got the final two outs of the inning to head to extras.
 
Carroll broke the tie in the top of the 11^th inning on Spencer's fielder's choice RBI with the bases loaded. Learman scored on a play at the plate. Roberts loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11^th and walked North Park's tying run. In the final out, the play went to first base, but a dropped throw allowed the runner to reach and scored the walk-off run.
 
Game 2
Game two began as a pitchers duel, with both teams struggling to find momentum. Roberts, who started game two, gave up the first run of the game on an RBI single to right field. A bunted single scored another runner from third as North Park took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 5^th.
 
North Park exploded for five runs and five hits in the top of the 7^th, including two Pioneer errors. Carroll could not respond in the final inning to mount a comeback, finishing three up three down. This was Carroll's only game with one hit this season.
 
The Pioneers will watch the rest of the week play out as they find out who they will match up with in the 2021 CCIW Conference Tournament.