GAME 1 BOXSCORE
GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Kenosha, Wis. - The Thunder softball team dropped a pair of games on Wednesday afternoon in the CCIW opening doubleheader at Carthage College. The Lady Reds topped Wheaton 1-0 in the first game and Carthage secured the sweep with a 7-4 victory in the second game. Carthage is now 11-9 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Thunder is 11-8-1 overall and 0-2 in CCIW action. Wheaton will remain on the road Friday for a doubleheader at University of Dubuque.

Carthage was a 1-0 winner in the first game as the Lady Reds scored one run, on three hits, with on errors and Wheaton had no runs, on six hits, with one error. Carthage scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on in the top of the seventh inning to earn the win.

Starting pitcher Ainsley McCullough (4-3) took the loss in six inning of work. She allowed one unearned run and held the Lady Reds to just three hits with one walk and three strikeouts.

Kelli Hennessey led the Thunder offense with two hits in three at bats. Additional singles by Amanda Mattocks, Stacey Cladis, McCullough and Suzanne Teuben accounted for Wheaton's six hits in the game.

Carthage jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game. Wheaton rallied with four runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the game at 4-4. The Lady Reds scored three runs in the final two innings en route to a 7-4 victory in the nightcap. The Lady Reds scored seven runs, on 11 hits, with one error and Wheaton plated four runs, on nine hits, with two errors.

Thunder starting pitcher Danielle Schmidt (5-3) took the loss in 4-2/3 innings of work. She allowed six earned runs, on six hits, with five strikeouts and four walks. McCullough pitched 2-1/3 innings of relief as she allowed one run, on five hits, with two strikeouts.

Jenna Lawrenz was 2-for-3 in the game. Megan Crucetti was 2-for-3, with a run school. Stacey Cladis was 1-for-3 with her first collegiate home run.

Carthage scored two runs in the top of the second inning and added two more in the top of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead. The Thunder tied the game in the bottom of the third inning with four runs as Lesley Guenard hit a two-run single and Cladis belted a two-run home run. Carthage took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning for a 6-4 advantage for the Lady Reds and the hosts added an additional run in the top of the sixth inning to secure the win.