Game Five – Carroll 7, Monmouth 6 l [Box Score]
Carroll overcame a four run third inning by Monmouth and scored runs in each of its final four at bats to come away with a 7-6 win and earn a spot in the MWC Championship round with St. Norbert.
The Fighting Scots struck first in a big way in a four run third inning on only two hits. After Emily Woods singled to start the inning and Smith drew a one out walk Lauren Bergstresser was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Woods scored the game’s first run on a wild pitch and then Taylor Smith and Bergstresser scored on a Foster triple to the right centerfield gap. Foster scored the final run of the inning with another wild pitch.
Carroll answered right back and kept the offense coming scoring a single run in the third and two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Ashlee Leden was responsible for both runs in the fourth inning with a two out home run to center field to cut the Monmouth lead to 5-3.
The Pioneers tied the game in the fifth inning with a Jamie Stewart single that scored a pair of runs and then took the lead in the sixth. Kelsey Uhlenbrauck started the inning by getting hit by a pitch and then Leden walked to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a sacrifice bunt Jamie Siewert singled up the middle to score the pair of runs and give Carroll its first lead of the game.
Monmouth made one last charge in the top of the seventh inning with a one out home run by Foster but Pioneer hurler Taylor Steinhilber got Lingle and Johnson to both strike out to end the game.
Siewert led Carroll going 3-for-3 on the day with a double, triple and two runs scored while Rebecca Menelle drove in a pair of runs and had two hits on the day. Leden and Uhlenbrauck both scored a pair of runs and each had a hit while Leden knocked in a pair with her fourth inning home run. Steinhilber earned the win in relief tossing four innings only allowing four hits and one run. The win was her tenth on the season.
Foster picked up three hits for Monmouth in four at bats including a triple and a home run while scoring a pair of runs and knocking in three. Emily Woods also had a pair of hits in the loss. Skyler Johnson took the defeat in the circle surrendering two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings.
Carroll moves on to play St. Norbert for a chance to go to the NCAA Tournament. St. Norbert is a perfect 2-0 in the tournament and the Pioneers will need to defeat them twice to be crowed MWC Champions while St. Norbert needs just one more win to earn the title.