The Carroll University softball team advanced to 4-0 in the CCIW after a sweep of Elmhurst University on Saturday afternoon. Carroll combined for 19 hits over the the two games.
GAME 1 | Carroll (WI) 5, Elmhurst 1
WAUKESHA, Wis. --The Carroll University softball team took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 5-1 victory against the Elmhurst Bluejays.
Junior Grace Bradley (4-2) started in the circle and picked up the win for Carroll (11-4, 3-0). The right-hander went 5.1 innings, giving up one run on seven hits, allowing two walks and striking out four. Freshman Riley Pavelka also made an impact in the circle for the Pioneers, throwing 1.2 shutout innings while allowing no hits, with no walks and four strikeouts.
Offensively, the Pioneers were paced by senior Kaylee Learman, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a triple, a walk and two RBI. Sophomore Madison Palasz put together a standout day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Junior Mathena Higgins also chipped in for Carroll, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Pioneers got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the bottom of the first inning. Carroll got an RBI single from Palasz, scoring senior Sierra Grubor from third base.
The Pioneers then held the Bluejays scoreless before expanding their lead in the fifth inning. Palasz's run-scoring single highlighted an inning where Carroll scored twice, which brought the Pioneers lead to 3-0.
Elmhurst narrowed Carroll's lead to 3-1 before the Pioneers stretched the advantage to 5-1 in the sixth inning. The Pioneers added a couple on a two-run triple off the bat of Learman. The score remained 5-1 for the rest of the game, as Carroll coasted to the win.
GAME NOTES
» Carroll's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Carroll grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first and didn't surrender that lead for the remainder of the game.
» Five Pioneers had multiple hits in the ballgame.
» The Pioneers out-hit the Blue Jays at an 11-7 clip.
» Carroll pitchers limited Elmhurst to just 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
» Carroll pitchers faced 33 Elmhurst hitters in the game, allowing 12 ground balls and one fly balls while striking out eight.
» Learman led the Pioneers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.
» Elmhurst was led offensively by freshman Alexis Laizure, who went 3-for-4.
» Senior Sydni Gizynski led the Blue Jays pitching staff, throwing five innings of three-run ball.
GAME 2 | Carroll (WI) 7, Elmhurst 5
WAUKESHA, Wis. --The Carroll Pioneers fought back from down 5-2 in the fifth inning to knock off the Elmhurst Bluejays 7-5.
Freshman Riley Pavelka (2-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Carroll (12-4, 4-0). The right-hander went four innings, giving up two runs, zero earned, on four hits, allowing one walk and striking out four.
In the batter's box, the Pioneers were paced by senior Kaylee Learman, who went 1-for-3 on the day with a walk and three RBI. Sophomore Madison Palasz compiled a standout day at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 1-0, the Pioneers first put runs on the board in the third inning. Learman drove in two runs for Carroll with a single, that scored junior Mathena Higgins and senior Sierra Grubor.
The Pioneers lost the lead they built in the third, but got back on the board in the sixth trailing 5-2. The Carroll offense exploded for five runs, highlighted by a one-run single off the bat of Palasz, which brought the score to 7-5 in favor of the Pioneers. The score remained 7-5 for the rest of the game, as Carroll held on for the win.
GAME NOTES
» Carroll's highest scoring inning was the sixth, when it pushed five runs across.
» Carroll pitchers faced 36 Elmhurst hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out six.
» The Pioneers drew four walks from Elmhurst pitching.
» Learman led the Pioneers at the plate, going 1-for-3 with three RBI.
» Elmhurst was led offensively by freshman Alex Kiriakopoulos, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
» Senior Jena Hicks led the Blue Jays pitching staff, throwing one scoreless inning.
NEXT GAME
Carroll travels to Chicago on Sunday, April 10 for a meetinig with the North Park Vikings
