NORTH FARGO (NewsDakota)- Ask any member of the Carrington softball program to pinpoint the programs’ 2024 coming out party and they will direct you to one event: Fargo Midseason Madness as even in two losses, they found the momentum that has carried for a calendar year, including a Cinderella postseason run one year ago.

This year, Carrington hope the event will vault them once more into a postseason run, only this time, with a couple of wins under their belts.

The Cardinals bounced back from a one-run loss on Friday night to Ray with Saturday wins over Northern Cass and Central McLean as part of the Roughrider bracket of Fargo Midseason Madness V.

Ray 3 Carrington 2

The Jays came back from an early 2-0 deficit to get by the Cardinals with two unearned runs in the fifth and a run in the sixth after Carrington took a 2-0 lead through a wild pitch that scored Brynn Smith and Maara Kutz’ third home run of the season into the teeth of a wind blowing in from left.  Kutz allowed only one hit while striking out eight in the loss.

Carrington 12 Northern Cass 7

Threes were wild for the Cardinals on Saturday morning as they scored exactly three runs in each of the first, second, and fourth innings before they scored one in the fifth and two more in the sixth.  Calleigh Hewitt got the win and struck out seven while Kutz picked up the save with 2 1/3 innings of no-hit relief.

Carrington 16 Central McLean 3 (5)

The Cardinals picked up where they left off the first time these teams met with a five-run second and seven-run third as Kutz scored three times and the bottom third of the order (Bailey Ness, Aubrey Neis, Kenedy Trostad) combined to score eight runs in support of starter Kaydence Van Ray, who picked up her first win of the season.

The Cardinals (8-6) wrap up the regular season on Monday facing Harvey/Wells County before opening the Region 2 Tournament on the road on Saturday.