HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Softball team earned a pair of critical wins over Bushnell on Friday afternoon at Centennial Park in Helena.

The Fighting Saints (18-26, 12-17) knew they had no margin for error heading into this weekend's series with Bushnell (11-35, 7-22). A pair of huge wins over the Beacons on Friday now puts Carroll in the driver's seat once again.

Carroll found all the offense it would need in the first game early. 

A walk, a single, and a stolen base would set the stage for Carroll's first run of the game in the opening frame. A wild pitch from Sam Silver allowed Amber Brewer (Phoenix, Ariz. / SR) to scurry home and put Carroll up 1-0. In the same at-bat, Kaitlynn Ayers (Twin Falls, Idaho / JR) would knock a single into the outfield and bring home Alyssa Lybbert (Las Vegas, Nev. / SO) to put the Saints in front 2-0 after one.

From that point on, Abby Hanley (Las Vegas, Nev. / SR), a senior playing in her final home series, would be in complete control. Hanley pitched a gem, going the distance without much resistance. The senior punched out 12 batters while allowing just three hits in the complete game shutout victory.

Carroll finished with just five hits in the opener, with Ayers accounting for two of them (2-3, 1 RBI).

Kennedy Venner (Billings, Mont. / FR) was given the nod in game No. 2 of the day, and the former Montana Gatorade Player of the Year delivered.

Carroll again opened the scoring in the second game. Ashley King (Helena, Mont. / FR) picked up a pinch run stolen base to set up Amber Countryman (Helena, Mont. / SO), who ripped an RBI double up the middle in the bottom of the second to take a 1-0 lead. An errant throw trying to catch Haylee Curry (Belgrade, Mont. / SR) stealing at second would allow Countryman to take home and Carroll would lead 2-0 after two.

Bushnell got their first runs of the day with the help of an error. A dropped fly ball with two outs would give the Beacons runners at second and third, and Hannah Tennant would bring them both home on the next at-bat. After a throw home, Tennant tried to take an extra bag but was gunned down to end the inning, 2-2.

In the home half of the seventh inning Kenna Thomas (Belgrade, Mont. / SO) would single to put the winning run on base, Bushnell took their time getting the ball in and Thomas was able to snag an extra bag. A wild pitch allowed her to advance to third. Amber Brewer would hit a grounder to short, but an error would let both Carroll runners advance safely for the walk-off win.

Venner had a terrific outing, finishing with 11 strikeouts and no earned runs.

The wins, paired with two Northwest losses this afternoon, give the Saints some clarity heading into the final CCC game of the year.

One win, and they are in. 

The Saints, who own a tiebreaker over Northwest, will look to punch their ticket to the CCC postseason tournament with a win tomorrow morning at 11 a.m.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com tomorrow evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.