The Lake Forest College softball team defeated Moravian College
5-3 and Transylvania University 9-3 at the National Fastpitch
Coaches Association Leadoff Classic on Friday (March 12). The
Foresters are now 4-2 on the season.
Freshman Megan
Harkins (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) put Lake Forest
ahead in the top of the first inning against Moravian. She led off
with a single, stole second and third, and scored on a groundout by
senior Mallory
Norton (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection).
The Foresters surrendered two runs in the bottom of the second
inning bet regained the lead with two in the top of the third.
Harkins led off with a base hit and eventually scored on a single
by senior Tracy Rainey
(Roselle, Ill./Lake Park). Freshman Noel Harmon (New Lenox,
Ill./Lincoln Way Central) also had a hit in the inning and scored
on another RBI-groundout by Norton.
Moravian tied the game in the bottom of the fourthi inning and the
score remained 3-3 until the top of the seventh. Sophomore Leslie
Harshey (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) singled with on out and
Harkins followed with her third hit of the contest. After a
fielder's choice left runners on first and second with two outs,
Rainey and Norton each singled in a run. All five Forester runs
were scored by Harkins and Harmon and driven in by Rainey and
Norton.
The victory was credited to freshman Molly
Thomsen (Rumford, R.I./St. Mary Academy), who held Moravian
hitless in two innings of relief for her first career win.
Classmate Kelly
Chesnut (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) retired the side in order in
the seventh for her first career save.
Lake Forest sent just six batters to the plate in the first twon
innings against Transylvania before erupting for five runs in the
bottom of the third. Sophomore Danielle
Gore (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) started the rally with a
leadoff single and senior Jill Pfund
(Morenci, Mich./Morenci) followed with a base on balls. Harkins
later singled to load the bases with one out and a base hit by
Harmon brought home Gore with the first run of the game. Rainey
followed with a three-run triple and scored on a single by
Norton.
The Foresters took advantage of a pair of errors to plate two runs
in the fourth inning, extending their lead to 7-0. Transylvania
rallied for three in the top of the sixth but Lake Forest answered
with two in the bottom of the frame. Harshey had a leadoff double
and scored on a groundout by Rainey. Harkins reached on an error
and scored on a base hit by Norton.
Chesnut allowed just five hits and a walk while striking out four
batters in seven innings.
Harkins and Rainey finished the day with six runs scored and six
runs batted in, respectively. Harmon scored four times and Norton
drove in five.
Lake Forest will finish pool play against Muskingum College at
10:30 tomorrow morning and begin bracket play later in the day. The
Foresters will also play twice on Sunday.