The Forester softball team finished pool play at the National
Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic with a 5-3 victory
over Muskingum College on Saturday (March 13). After qualifying for
the event's Gold Bracket, Lake Forest was defeated 7-0 by the
University of Texas-Tyler, the nation's second-ranked team.
The Foresters were the first team to score for the sixth time in
seven games when senior Mallory Norton's (Chicago,
Ill./Resurrection) ground ball drove in freshman Noel Harmon (New
Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) in the bottom of the first inning
against Muskingum.
Norton then belted her second home run of the season in the bottom
of the third inning to double the Lake Forest lead.
Muskingum scored its first run of the game in the top of the
fifth.
The Foresters finally pulled away with three runs in the bottom of
the sixth inning. Senior Jill Pfund (Morenci, Mich./Morenci)
started the rally with a one-out single and scored on a pinch-hit
triple by freshman Kelly Chesnut (Channahon, Ill./Minooka). Harmon
singled in another run with two outs, advanced to second on a base
hit by senior Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park), and then
scored on a single by Norton.
Freshman Jordan Ratliff (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) pitched all
seven innings for Lake Forest and struck out seven batters while
surrendering just three runs (one earned) on seven base hits. She
did not issue a walk.
Texas-Tyler scored three runs in the bottom of the third inning and
four in the fourth to knock the Foresters out of contention for the
tournament's overall championship. Lake Forest had a base hit in
each of the game's first six innings, including a double by senior
Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) in the first that made her
the program's leader in that category with 38 in her career.
Freshman pitcher Molly Thomsen (Rumford, R.I./St. Mary Academy)
entered the game with two outs in the fourth inning and held
Texas-Tyler hitless in two-and-one-third innings of relief.
Lake Forest will face ninth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College in the
Gold Consolation Bracket tomorrow morning at 8:30. The Foresters
will play again at 10:30 a.m. if they win and 12:30 p.m. if they
lose.