The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team concluded its current home stand Thursday with a split of a non-conference doubleheader against Carthage at van Steenderen Softball Complex.
 
The Warhawks (13-13 overall) dropped the opener 9-0 in five innings before earning a dramatic 1-0 victory in eight innings in the second game.
 
In Game 2, pitcher Kate Cleveland (DePere, Wis./Ashwaubenon) tossed a complete-game, eight-inning shutout and shortstop Meghan Dunning (Plainfield, Ill./South) capped a two-out rally with a walk-off, RBI single to give UW-W the win.
 
Cleveland, who was perfect through 5 1/3 innings and allowed three hits without a walk and two strikeouts, improved to 5-2 on the season.
 
With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, centerfielder Kiarra Kostroski (Fort Atkinson, Wis./Fort Atkinson) doubled to right field. After a walk by left fielder Krista Sbarra (West Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East), Dunning knocked a base hit to left field to plate Kostroski and help UW-Whitewater cap its 10-game home stand on a high note.
 
Kostroski registered two of UW-W's three hits in the contest and added one walk. First baseman Ally Dietz (Lake Villa, Ill./Lakes Community) tallied one hit.
 
In the first game of the day, Carthage (11-11) struck for four runs in the top of the first and never trailed in the contest, adding two more in the second inning and three more in the fifth to end the game by run rule.
 
Kostroski and second baseman Delaney Becker (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) each posted one hit.
 
Mallory Hollatz (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township) was dealt the loss, dropping to 5-7 on the year. Rhiann Dick (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) pitched three scoreless innings in relief and was followed by Kathryn Kinsella (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy), who recorded the first two outs of the fifth before handing off to Annie Morelli (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein), who got the final out of the frame.
 
The Warhawks visit Chicago this Saturday for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.