EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The Carroll University softball team leveled their record at 2-2 after four games at the Fontbonne Tournament. Carroll started the day with a tough loss to Franklin in extra innings but picked up a shutout win over Monmonth before heading home.
GAME 1
The Pioneers (1-2) had the bases loaded with one out in the eighth inning but couldn't get the final run to cross the plate to continue the game in the 1-2 loss to Franklin College.
Breanna Roberts took the loss but pitched wonderfully, allowing just one hit in three innings.
Riley Pavelka got the start and went five innings allowing just two hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Roberts came in during relief and was credited with two unearned runs.
Lauren Harshbarger smacked a triple, scored a run, and tallied a sacrifice hit for Carroll.
Kiana Johnson had the lone RBI to send in Harshbarger.
Carroll put runners on base in the first five innings of work and got their first run across in the fifth. Harshbarger's triple led off the inning, and Johnson's single sent her in. Carroll's next two innings were unfortunately three up three down.
Franklin leveled the game with an RBI single after a leadoff fielding error. In extras, Franklin struck right away after a SAC bunt sent the runner at second to third, and a sacrifice fly to left field sent the runner home. Carroll loaded the bases after a four-pitch walk in the bottom of the eighth, but a play at the plate and a ground-out ended the contest.
GAME 2
The Pioneers (2-2) grabbed win number two on shutout number two against Monmouth by a score of 2-0.
Andrea Kuhne pitched a seven-inning, two-hit shutout with a career-high seven strikeouts.
Sydney Raddeman hit two doubles while
Reagan Goluch nailed an RBI triple while scoring a run to lead the Pios. Johnson and
Abby Curtis also picked up stolen bases, as the Pios racked up five or more hits for the fourth straight game.
Carroll had runners on second in both the first and second inning but didn't capitalize until the third when
Mathena Higgins led off with a single to center. A double-play cleared the bases but Johnson got right back on. Goluch's triple sent around Johnson and Raddeman sent in Goluch the next at-bat.
The Pios went three up and three down the next two innings but had chances to add in more runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Kuhne had a runner on third with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but forced a line drive out to Goluch to pick up the win.
The Pioneers will reload and take off for Florida over spring break March 11-17. Carroll will play in Clermont, Florida at The Spring Games. Tickets are available in the schedule tab at gopios.com/sb.
