PITTSBURGH, Pa. - La Roche softball had non-conference action on Wednesday afternoon, but were unable to pick up a win, falling in both games to Carnegie Mellon.

GAME ONE: CMU 14 LRU 3 F/5

Game one of the doubleheader never unfolded the way La Roche envisioned, but from their perspective, it was less about the final score and more about one inning that changed everything.

Through the first inning, La Roche looked composed.

Klover Haberthier worked through the opening frame without damage, and defensively, the Redhawks showed early signs of being locked in. At the plate, they were still searching for timing, but the game felt balanced—still waiting for someone to take control.

That moment came in the second inning, and it belonged to Carnegie Mellon.

A string of hits, aggressive baserunning, and a few costly defensive miscues quickly unraveled the inning. What started as a manageable situation escalated into a seven-run surge. La Roche struggled to stop the momentum as balls found gaps, runners advanced, and pressure mounted with each at-bat. By the time the inning ended, they trailed 7–0, and the tone of the game had shifted dramatically.

From there, La Roche worked to stabilize.

Haberthier battled through three innings before Katie Grimm entered in relief, helping slow the pace. Defensively, the Redhawks settled in after the second, limiting further damage despite Carnegie Mellon adding runs in the fourth and fifth. Still, the early deficit loomed large.

Offensively, La Roche had its chances but couldn't fully break through against Haley Pucci, who kept hitters off balance and recorded eight strikeouts. Brooke Murgenovich and Maura Wade each collected hits, and Haberthier helped her own cause with a base knock, but sustained rallies were hard to come by.

In the fifth inning, La Roche finally found a spark.

The rally started with pressure on the defense, as an error allowed a run to cross the plate. Moments later, Cassidee Fitterer delivered the biggest swing of the game for the Redhawks—a double into right center that drove in two runs. It was a glimpse of the offense La Roche knew it was capable of, cutting into the deficit and showing late fight.

GAME TWO: CMU 16 LRU 1 F/5

The Redhawks took the field looking for a reset after the opener, but the first inning quickly turned into an uphill battle. Carnegie Mellon came out aggressive at the plate, stringing together hit after hit and capitalizing on every opportunity. Balls found gaps, runners moved efficiently, and a couple of defensive miscues only added to the pressure.

By the time the inning finally came to a close, La Roche trailed 10–0.

It wasn't just the score—it was the pace. The Redhawks barely had time to regroup between batters, and the early deficit forced them into a position they hadn't planned for: chasing the game from the very start.

To their credit, they answered in the second.

Klover Haberthier reached base and used her speed to create an opportunity, eventually coming around to score. Brooke Murgenovich followed with an RBI single to center, putting La Roche on the board and giving the dugout a brief spark. It wasn't a big inning, but it was a response—something to build on after a difficult opening frame.

From there, La Roche worked to settle things down.

Katie Grimm provided stability in the circle, and later Maura Wade closed out the game, helping slow Carnegie Mellon's momentum compared to that explosive first inning. Still, the Tartans continued to add on, scoring four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth, extending the lead despite La Roche's efforts to contain the damage.

Offensively, the Redhawks showed patience even if the hits didn't fully come together. They drew five walks and found ways to get runners on base, with Cassidee Fitterer and Gabby Sbraccia each contributing hits alongside Murgenovich and Haberthier. But timely hitting proved elusive, and multiple scoring chances were left unfinished.

Defensively, La Roche battled through a long game in the field. While there were moments of solid play, a pair of errors and the sheer volume of contact from Carnegie Mellon made it difficult to regain control.