NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Carroll's softball team played a pair of 2-1 games Wednesday afternoon against North Central (IL), with each game ending in a walk-off. The Pioneers were on the wrong end of the walk-off in game number one, before rebounding to win the nightcap in a 10-inning marathon. That marks the third time in the last nine games that Carroll has played game that finished in nine innings or later.

GAME ONE
North Central (16-16, 5-7 CCIW) broke a scoreless tie in the opening game in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single down the right field line. Carroll (13-17, 4-6 CCIW) waited until the top of the seventh to score their first run, as Kiana Johnson crossed the plate to tie the score on a sac fly off the bat of Kaylee Baker. That set the stage for the bottom of the seventh, which ended in a hit batsmen with two out and the bases loaded.

Carroll finished with four hits in the game, coming from Johnson, Kali Stanchina, Jenna Andler, and Kayla Holmes, who's double was the team's only extra-base hit.

Riley Pavelka started for the Pios and went four innings, allowing one run on five hits, while striking out four in the no-decision.

GAME TWO
The day's second game saw North Central strike first once more, scoring on an RBI double to center field on a 3-1 count. The Pios would tie things up in the bottom of the fifth when MK Dusza singled to right, allowing Baker to score from second base. The two teams would be deadlocked in a 1-1 tie into extra innings, before the game was finally ended in the bottom of the 10th when Morgan Miller scored on an error by North Central's second baseman.

The Pioneers finished with nine hits, led by a 3-for-3 effort from lead-off hitter Abby Curtis. Dusza and Johnson each added a pair of hits, while Madison Hoagland and Baker also recorded a base knock. Pavelka (8-6) earned the win in relief, pitching four scoreless innings of two-hit ball.

Carroll will be in action again on Wednesday, when they'll host a doubleheader against Wheaton (IL) College. That twin-bill will begin at 3 p.m. at Kilgour Field in Waukesha, Wis.