The Forester softball team defeated visiting University of Chicago 9-1 and 2-1 on Thursday in its first home games of the season. Lake Forest junior catcher Alex Hemmer was 3-for-7 with two doubles and a grand slam on the day.
Hemmer's second career grand slam capped off a six-run fifth inning for the home team in the opener. The rally started with a leadoff single by junior third baseman Kaleigh Ambrose and a double by junior second baseman Vasi Panos. Ambrose came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman designated player Jillian Rashid and Panos scored on a two-out infield single by freshman leftfielder Sydney Gardner. Walks to senior outfielders Whitney Leiderman and Kayla Borgra extended the inning and Hemmer followed with her third home run of the season and 16th of her career, tying her with Leiderman for fifth place in program history.
Leading 6-1 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Foresters quickly loaded the bases with no outs. After a pair of strikeouts, Borgra drew another base on balls to drive in a run and Hemmer doubled to give her team an eight-run lead and end the game an inning early.
Chicago had scored the first run of the game in the opening inning but was shut out the rest of the way by junior Jessi Werner. Werner allowed just three base hits in the contest while striking out five batters and walking three. She improved to 8-1 with a 2.08 earned run average on the season.
The Foresters jumped out to the early lead in game two. Hemmer doubled with two outs in the first inning and junior first baseman Sally Snarski followed with her team-high fifth home run of the year. It was also the 16th round-tripper of her career, tying her with Hemmer and Leiderman on the program's all-time list.
The Maroons plated a run in the top of the third inning but were kept off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Lake Forest sophomore pitcher Jenny McTague scattered eight base hits and did not walk a batter while striking out two in the contest. McTague is now 7-2 on the season with a 1.62 earned run average.
The Foresters, who managed just five base hits in the game, raised their overall record on the year to 15-3. Chicago fell to 8-6.
Lake Forest will travel to Knox College on Saturday and begin a Midwest Conference doubleheader with the Prairie Fire at 1:00 p.m.
