GREAT FALLS, Mont. - The Carroll College Softball team split a pair of games, both of which going extra innings, at the University of Providence on Tuesday afternoon, losing 2-3 and winning 4-3.

The Fighting Saints (16-26, 10-17) came into the afternoon looking for a critical Cascade Collegiate Conference win as they continue to fight for the final postseason position, but had to settle for a non-conference win in game two of the doubleheader with Providence (4-31, 4-23).

The first game of the afternoon was the final conference battle between the two schools for the season, and Providence found a way to gut out an extra innings walk-off win.

Neither team was able to break through early in the game, finishing the first three innings of play scoreless.

Carroll would open the scoring on the day courtesy of a Kaitlynn Ayers (Twin Falls, Idaho / JR) solo home run in the top of the fourth to put the Saints up 1-0.

A Carroll error in the bottom half of the inning would open the door, and the Argos would get their first run of the game across the plate to even things up at 1-1.

After a double and subsequent stolen third base by Kenna Thomas (Belgrade, Mont. / SO) and Abbie Amend (Spokane, Wash. / FR) reaching base after being hit by a pitch, Carroll would go on top once again. Carroll pulled off a double steal, with Amend reaching second and Thomas managing to safely touch home to go ahead 2-1.

Carroll's lead was short lived, however, as Ayla Umphrey provided Providence with a solo shot of her own to tie things up at 2-2 after five innings of play.

After going to extra innings, Providence would win the game on a costly walk-off error by the Saints, 3-2.

Abby Hanley went all seven-plus innings for the Saints, totaling 11 strikeouts on the afternoon, but untimely errors cost Carroll the game. The Saints bats unfortunately couldn't back up Hanley's performance, with Carroll accruing just five hits in the game.

The loss moves Carroll to a full two games back of Northwestern in the playoff push. They will need to win at least two of their final three conference games this weekend, and hope for some help from Southern Oregon in order to overtake Northwestern in the standings.

Providence got on the board first in the second game. Karlie David blasted a solo homer in the bottom of the first inning to give the Argos a 1-0 lead.

Sammie Labrum (Kalispell, Mont. / FR) evened things up for the Saints with an RBI double in the second, and Sydnee Paul (Florence, Mont. / JR) picked up an RBI single to put Carroll on top in the second inning, 2-1.

Taylor Matthews scored one on a sacrifice fly to knot the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning, where the score would stand until the second extra frame.

Haylee Curry (Belgrade, Mont. / SR) broke the tie with an RBI single, and an error on the following at bat would allow Kenna Thomas to come home for the insurance run and give Carroll a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth.

Providence would manage to score one in the bottom of the frame, but Carroll held on for the 4-3 extra innings win.

Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / SR) picked up the win, going all nine innings and striking out 13 Argo batters in the process. Sydnee Paul, Haylee Curry, and Sammie Labrum all had a great afternoon at the plate, each going 3-5.

Carroll will now lock in on a critical series this weekend, as they host Bushnell on Friday and Saturday with their postseason hopes on the line.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that series, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.