Box Score
Bryanna Heckel happened. That's the answer to the question; what happened? Heckel clubbed three home runs in her 4x4 day, driving five runs in a Carthage College 10-2 win over Finlandia in a game shortened by the run differential rule.
Heckel, Carthage's junior second baseman, didn't waste any time making her mark on the game, hitting the first pitch over the center field fence. The Lady Reds added a second run in the first on a sacrifice fly. Finlandia cut the deficit in half with the aid of Carthage error in the bottom of the first. Senior centerfielder Jen Precht doubled down the left field line in the second to give the Lady Reds a 3-1 lead, but Finlandia's Kari Jewett homered with one out in the third to cut the Carthage lead to 3-2.
The game got out of hand in the fourth. Heckel stroked a two run homer, and Abby Hanson picked up two more with her seventh home run of the season in a five run fourth as Carthage surged ahead 8-2. The last two runs came on, no surprise, Heckel's third home run of the game.
Heckel came into the game with two home runs on the season. Jewett went 3x3 for Finlandia. Krystina Leazer, 22-5, picked up the win with five innings of five hit pitching. Leazer walked one and struck out five. Miranda Berwer, 10-3, went the first 2.1 innings for the Lions, giving up five earned runs before giving way to Alyson Herman.
Carthage, 31-11, will play the loser of Friday's matchup between North Central and Illinois Wesleyan. Finlandia ends the season with a 25-8 record.
