The Lake Forest College softball team was defeated 3-2 in nine innings by Lawrence University and 8-5 by St. Norbert College on day one of the Midwest Conference Tournament on Saturday. The losses eliminated the Foresters from the double-elimination event. Sophomore center fielder Whitney Leiderman had two base hits in each game, including a pair of bunt singles against Lawrence.
Leiderman's second hit was followed two batters later by junior shortstop Sam Ritsema's third home run of the season, tying the game at two in the bottom of the sixth inning. It was also Ritsema's 13th career round-tripper, matching Leiderman for sixth place in program history.
Lawrence had scored the first run of the game in the top of the third inning and added a tally in the first half of the sixth.
After both pitchers retired the side in order in the seventh inning, Lawrence threatened in the eighth, putting runners on second and third with just one out. Freshman pitcher Jessi Werner escaped the jam, however, and the game reached the ninth. The Vikings scored what turned out to be the winning run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning and the Foresters were unable to tie the score in their half of the inning.
Werner pitched all nine innings and matched her career-high with 10 strikeouts. She allowed eight base hits in the game and just one of Lawrence's three runs was earned.
Lake Forest also battled back from behind against St. Norbert.
The Green Knights plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning but the Foresters tied the score in the third. Leiderman led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and reached third on a single by Ritsema. Freshman pitcher Kristi Gandy bunted in Leiderman. Ritsema reached third on the play and then scored on a ground ball by freshman second baseman Kaleigh Ambrose.
After St. Norbert regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, Lake Forest tied the score again in the sixth. Leiderman drove in the first two runs on a bases-loaded single and sophomore right fielder Kayla Borgra plated another with her team-high 40th base hit of the year.
The Green Knights scored three times again in the bottom of the sixth and the Foresters were unable to come back again in the seventh and their season came to an end.
Lake Forest finished the year with an overall record of 17-18. Lawrence raised its record to 20-13 and St. Norbert to 20-14.
Borgra led the 2013 Foresters with a .417 batting average. Leiderman belted a team-high eight home runs, led the squad with 29 runs scored and 14 stolen bases, and tied with Ambrose for first place with 23 runs batted in.
The Foresters will lose just two players, third baseman Aubrey Pendegraft and first baseman Nikki Miller, to graduation next Saturday.
