ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst University softball team closed out its regular season by dropping both ends of a doubleheader to Carthage College at Salt Creek Park. The Bluejays fell 14-4 in game one and dropped the nightcap 13-5.
 
Elmhurst (9-20/7-16) celebrated its senior day after the games and recognized the contributions of Veronica Zahn, Jenna Geraci and Mia Riese.
 
CARTHAGE 14, ELMHURST 4 (Game One) – Carthage (18-16/16-14 CCIW) used a seven-run second inning to take a commanding lead and pull away for a 14-4 win over Elmhurst in game one.
 
The Firebirds grabbed a run in the first on Rylee Johnson's RBI single. Carthage broke it open in the second, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring seven times on five singles, a walk and an Elmhurst error.
 
The Bluejays jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third, cashing in on a pair of Carthage errors to score three times. Alyssa Filkowski doubled home a run and Alana Batista added an RBI single in the inning for Elmhurst.

Carthage answered back with two runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to open up a 14-3 lead. The Bluejays scored a run in the bottom of the fifth on Jamie Haas' RBI single to make the final score 14-4.
 
Carthage finished with 18 hits with 15 of them being singles. Elmhurst was limited to six hits with Filkowski and Zahn collected two hits apiece.
 
Briana Pisauro made the start and took the loss for the Bluejays, working two innings and allowing nine hits and seven earned runs. She walked one and struck out one. Stef Guercio picked up the win for Carthage, tossing a complete game and allowing six hits and just one earned run over five innings of work while fanning seven.
 
CARTHAGE 13, ELMHURST 5 (Game Two) – Carthage scored 10 consecutive runs in the third and fourth innings to turn a two-run deficit into an eight-run victory.

The Firebirds jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before Elmhurst rallied back in the third to take the lead. The Bluejays sent nine batters to the plate and scored five times to move in front 5-3. Riese singled in a pair of runs and Batista tripled home two runs for the Bluejays. Haas added an RBI single for the Bluejays in the inning.
 
Carthage took advantage of six total errors in the third and fourth innings to blow the game open. The Firebirds batted around in the third and scored four runs to move in front 7-5. Carthage sent 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs to pull away for the eight-run victory in five innings.
 
Haas collected two hits and drove in a run to lead the Bluejays at the plate. Riese and Batista totaled two RBIs apiece for Elmhurst.
 
Jena Hicks made the start and took the loss, working 3.2 innings and allowing 11 hits and four earned runs. She walked four and struck out one.
 
Elmhurst will play in the CCIW Tournament next week.