EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Carroll's softball team opened their 2024 campaign Friday afternoon by splitting a pair of games, winning their opener 1-0 against the host team Fontbonne University, before narrowly falling to Hope College 4-3 in the nightcap. The Pioneers recorded 13 hits on the day, while allowing 11 in the two games combined.

Carroll's victory over Fontbonne (0-1) marked their third consecutive win in the all-time series. The two teams were mired in a scoreless tie until the top of the sixth inning when outfielder Bridget Rath drove in the game's only run on a single to center, allowing Kaitlyn Reed to cross the plate.

From there, pitcher Andrea Kuhne (1-0) closed out the game, firing a complete game two-hitter to earn the shutout. Kuhne struck out six and walked two in her seven innings of work. The Pioneers (1-1) finished with four hits in the game, with two coming from leadoff hitter Abby Curtis, with Rath and Kiana Johnson recording the other two.

The second game of the day proved to be another nailbiter, with Hope (1-0) jumping on the board first in the top of the third, which saw them push a run across the plate on an RBI single. The Pios would get that run back the following inning when Reagan Goluch drove in Reed with an RBI single of her own. Carroll took their first lead of the contest the following inning on an RBI single by Johnson, which scored Gianna Buske. They would add another run later in the inning on an RBI single off the bat of Sophia Schmidt.

Hope inched closer in the top of the sixth, scoring an unearned run on a lineout to left field. They would tie the score in the final frame on another RBI single, before taking the lead on a one-out sac fly. Carroll would go down in order in the bottom of that frame.

Both teams finished the game with nine hits, with Carroll recording two for extra bases on doubles from Schmidt and Buske. Rath and Schmidt led the way for the Pioneers with two hits apiece. In the circle, Riley Pavelka started and allowed just one earned run while striking out five in 5.1 innings of work, as she was saddled with the no-decision.

The Pioneers will be back in action on Saturday when they'll face Grinnell College and Belhaven (Miss.) at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Both of those games will be played in Edwardsville, Ill.