The Lake Forest College softball team was defeated 6-5 in both ends of a doubleheader at Elmhurst College on Wednesday. Forester junior catcher Alex Hemmer reached base safely seven times in nine plate appearances on the day.
Hemmer was 1-for-1 and drew three walks in the opener. She doubled in a pair of runs in a five-run first inning which also included a run-scoring base hit by junior third baseman Kaleigh Ambrose and a two-run single by senior leftfielder Audrey Djukic.
The score remained 5-0 until Elmhurst scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Bluejays also rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh on three singles, a walk, and a fielders choice that did not result in an out.
Lake Forest also scored first in game two of the doubleheader when Ambrose doubled in senior rightfielder Kayla Borgra in the top of the first inning. The home team, however, took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the frame.
Hemmer drew a one-out walk and later scored on a base hit by junior second baseman Vasi Panos in the third. Elmhurst responded once again with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Foresters closed to within a run in the top of the fifth. Hemmer led off the inning with a double and scored on a single by junior designated player Sally Snarski. Snarski advanced to second on Ambrose's second hit of the game and to third on a fielders choice. She then scored on a single by freshman first baseman Kristina Rosenbaum.
Lake Forest completed the comeback on a home run by Hemmer in the sixth. It was her second round-tripper of the year and 15th of her career. The sixth was also the Foresters' only inning without any runners left on base and they stranded 13 in the game, including three in the fifth and seventh.
Elmhurst, once again, scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.
The losses drop the Foresters' record on the year to 9-3. It was the season opener for Elmhurst.
Lake Forest will play another non-conference doubleheader at Wheaton College on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.