The Lake Forest College softball team routed Skidmore College 11-1 in six innings before falling 8-7 to Millikin University on Thursday at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee, Florida. Forester junior shortstop Sam Ritsema had three base hits and scored twice in the win over Skidmore.
Ritsema had one of Lake Forest's five base hits and was one of six Foresters to score in the top of the first inning. Sophomore left fielder Whitney Leiderman started the rally with a double and scored on a bunt single by senoir third baseman Aubrey Pendegraft. Freshman designated player Kristi Gandy continued her hot hitting with a two-run double, advanced to third on Ritsema's single, and came home on a groundout by Miller. After Ritsema scored on a wild pitch, freshman pitcher Kaleigh Ambrose restarted the rally with a walk and later scored on a groundout by Leiderman.
Ritsema singled, stole second, and scored on an error in the second inning and Skidmore plated a run in the bottom of the frame to make the score 7-1.
A Miller sacrifice fly in the fourth inning added to the lead and the Foresters tacked on three more in the sixth. Freshman pitcher Tori Liewerger doubled in the first two runs and scored the third on a single by freshman catcher Alex Hemmer.
Ambrose started in the circle and allowed just one hit and an unearned run in three innings. Liewerger held the Thoroughbreds scoreless on three base hits over the final three frames to earn the victory in her collegiate pitching debut.
Both starting pitchers struggled early in the Foresters' game against Millikin. Lake Forest plated five runs in the bottom of the first inning before allowing the same number in the top of the second. The home team scored twice to regain the lead in the bottom of the second and the score remained 7-5 until the top of the fifth. The Big Blue scored once in the fifth and twice in the seventh to pull out the come-from-behind victory.
Pendegraft was 3-for-4 for the Foresters in the game. She singled in a pair of runs and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning and doubled in the sixth.Gandy and Miller each had two base hits in the contest while Leiderman and sophomore center fielder Alyssa Vechiola scored two runs apiece.
Just two of the eight runs allowed by Lake Forest freshman pitcher Jessi Werner were earned and she did not issue a walk in 6-plus innings of work. Senior Molly Thomsen came in with a runner on second and not outs in the seventh and prevented any additional scoring by Millikin.
It was the third split in as many days of play for the Foresters, who are now 3-3 on the year. Skidmore fell to 4-7 and Millikin remained undefeated in six contests.
Lake Forest will take on Marietta College Friday afternoon at 3:00 (EST) and Fitchburg State University at 5:00.
