The Lake Forest College softball team was defeated 3-2 and 7-3 at Carthage College, the 24th-ranked team in the country, on Saturday. Freshman designated player/third baseman Kassie Marsala was one of two Foresters with a base hit in each contest.
Marsala singled to right field to lead off the top of the fifth inning in game one. Sophomore Sammie Zender pinch ran, stole second, and scored on a base hit by freshman left fielder Whitney Leiderman to tie the game at one.
Carthage, however, regained the lead on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Lady Reds added what would prove to be an important insurance run later in the frame.
Forester freshman pinch hitter Alyssa Vechiola reached on a two-base error to begin the seventh inning and scored on a single by freshman right fielder Jessica Tucker. The visitors were unable to score again, however, as Carthage held on for the victory.
Lake Forest scored first in game two. Junior second baseman Megan Harkins, who had two base hits in the contest, singled to lead off the third inning. She advanced to second and broke for third on a sacrifice bunt by Leiderman. The throw from the first baseman was wild, allowing Harkins came all the around to score.
Forester junior pitcher Kelly Chesnut allowed just two base hits while holding the home team scoreless through four innings. Things got away from Lake Forest in the bottom of the fifth, however, as Carthage plated seven runs on four hits and three errors.
The visitors got two runs back in the top of the sixth when an error scored sophomore center fielder Nora Logue, who had walked, and sophomore shortstop Sam Ritsema, who doubled. The Foresters would not score again, however, as Carthage completed the sweep.
Lake Forest fell to 5-11 this season while the Lady Reds raised their record to 14-2.
The Foresters will host Robert Morris University tomorrow afternoon at 1:00.
