Strong pitching by senior Haley Fedak and a clutch hit by senior Karissa Astrella lifted the Muhlenberg softball team to its first win of the season, 4-1 against John Carroll. 

Fedak (pictured above) pitched a five-hitter and struck out a career-high 11 - the most by a Mule pitcher since 2013. After allowing a run on a double steal in the first, she shut down the Blue Streaks the rest of the way.

Fedak struck out the side in the first, second and fourth and turned matters over to her defense in the latter part of the game. She retired the last five batters she faced, recording her only 1-2-3 inning to finish off the game in the seventh.

Astrella provided the decisive blow with a two-out, bases-clearing double in the top of the sixth. Junior Allyson Sweeney led off the winning rally with a double down the left-field line. An infield single by freshman Ariana Feliziani - her first career hit - and a walk to senior Hanna Caiola loaded the bases. Astrella fouled off one 3-2 pitch before crushing the next one to the gap in right-center, bringing in all three runners.

Sweeney, Astrella and senior Amelia Shelley all had two hits for the Mules (1-3).

In the first game of the day, Muhlenberg fell to Aurora, 6-2. The Mules bunched together four straight singles to score their two runs in the fourth, with junior Kristina Qualben driving in a run. Shelley started the rally with a single and later doubled.

Freshman Sophie Chong was outstanding in relief, throwing 5 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.