Lake Forest College is hosting the 2012 Midwest Conference Classic this weekend at Waukegan SportsPark and the Foresters defeated St. Norbert College 10-2, Carroll University 11-3, and Beloit College 3-1 on Saturday. Freshman outfielder Whitney Leiderman scored five runs and belted one of the team's five roundtrippers on the day.
Leiderman was 2-for-3 with a double, home run, two runs scored, and a pair of runs batted in against St. Norbert. Freshman second baseman Alyssa Vechiola, junior first baseman Nikki Miller, and sophomore center fielder Nora Logue also had two base hits apiece in the contest.
St. Norbert started the scoring on a home run in the second inning. The Foresters took advantage of a couple of Green Knight mistakes in the top of the fourth to tie the score. Miller reached on an error to lead off the frame and sophomore pinch-runner Sammie Zender advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Logue, reached third on a groundout, and scored on a wild pitch.
Lake Forest pulled ahead with two outs in the top of the fifth inning on the first home run of the season by junior third baseman Megan Harkins. Leiderman then drew a walk and stole second base. Vechiola followed with a bunt single and a throwing error advanced her to second and Leiderman home. Miller then singled in Vechiola, making the score 4-1.
The Foresters put the game out of reach by scoring six runs in the seventh. Harkins was hit by a pitch and scored on Lederman's first career home run. Vechiola singled and came home on a base hit by Miller. An infield single by Logue was followed by an RBI-double by sophomore shortstop Sam Ritsema. Freshman right fielder Jessica Tucker then singled in Logue and Ritsema, making the score 10-1.
A collision of Forester outfielders contributed to an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final score.
Lake Forest junior pitcher Kelly Chesnut, who retired 14 batters in a row in the middle of the game, allowed just four base hits while striking out eight batters and walking only one in the complete game victory.
Fellow Forester junior pitcher Molly Thomsen also went the distance in the team's second game of the day. She held Carroll to six hits and two earned runs while striking out four batters and walking two. It was her team-high seventh complete game of the season.
Miller was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two driven in while Logue, Tucker, and Harkins added two base hits apiece. Leiderman was hitless but scored three runs.
After the Pioneers scored once in the bottom of the second inning, Lake Forest responded with five runs in the top of the third. Senior catcher Danielle Gore started the rally with her second home run of the year. Leiderman reached on a one-out error, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on another error on a fly ball by Miller. Logue singled in Miller, Ritsema walked, and Tucker doubled in a pair of runs to give the Foresters a 5-1 advantage.
Carroll scored twicein the bottom of the third but Lake Forest got both runs back in their next turn at the plate. Harkins doubled with one out, took third on a wild pitch, and scored on an errant throw by the catcher. Leiderman then drew a walk, stole second, and scored on a double by Miller.
The Foresters added three insurance runs in the top of the sixth. Leiderman walked and stole second again and scored on a base hit by Miller. Logue then belted her third home run of the season to put Lake Forest ahead 10-3.
Harkins doubled in Gore with two outs in the seventh for the final run of the game.
Scoring was a little more scarce in the Foresters' final game of the day. They took the lead in the bottom of the second inning on Ritsema's team-high fourth home run of the year.
Beloit, however, scored its only run of the contest, and unearned score off senior starter Cami Daun in the top of the third, to tie the score. Daun scattered seven hits in four-and-one-third innings of work to earn the victory.
Lake Forest regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Logue drew a lead-off walk and Ritsema followed with a base hit up the middle. Tucker singled in Logue and a base hit by senior outfielder Leslie Harshey brought home Ritsema with what turnd out to be the final run of the contest.
Chesnut relieved Daum with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth. She escaped the inning without allowing any runs and surrendered just one hit while striking out a pair of Buccaneers the rest of the way to earn her second save of the season and fourth of her career.
The Foresters are now 10-13 overall this season and 3-0 in league play. St. Norbert fell to 9-12 overall and 4-1 in the league, Carroll dropped to 11-7 overall and 1-1 in the MWC, and Beloit is now 6-21 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
The event will continue tomorrow and the Foresters will face Lawrence University at noon and Ripon College, which also won three times on Saturday, at 2:00 p.m.
