Sophomore Alyssa Grimm had three hits on the day and drove in a run in each game but the Forester softball team was defeated 7-5 and 4-2 by visiting Monmouth College on Saturday.
Grimm drove in the home team's first run of the day on a bunt single in the bottom of the second inning in game one. She was then part of a well-executed double steal that scored sophomore leftfielder Abby King and later came home on a fielding error, giving Lake Forest a 3-2 lead.
After the Fighting Scots regained the lead with three runs in the top of the third, the Foresters got one back on a run-scoring single by senior pitcher Jenny McTague in the bottom of the fourth. The home team then tied the game when junior shortstop Kat's Beall's double down the left field line brought sophomore centerfielder Maria Zepeda in to score in the fifth.
Monmouth responded once again with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth and the Foresters were unable to mount another comeback.
Grimm had two of Lake Forest's six base hits in the contest.
Zepeda's single in the opener gave her a hit in nine straight games. While that streak came to an end in game two, a pair of others continued and she established a somewhat painful program record as well. After leading off the bottom of the first inning by getting hit by a pitch, Zepeda stole second and later scored on a single by Grimm. It was the seventh time this season she has been hit by a pitch, surpassing the team record set by Skippi Smith in 1980 and tied by Sam Ritsema and Layla Borgra three years ago. The stolen base, her third of the day, gave her at least one swipe in each of the last five contest and a dozen in 2017. Finally, by crossing home plate, she extended her streak of scoring at least one run to 12 games.
The Foresters were unable to hold the lead, however, as the Fighting Scots plated four runs in the top of the second inning. All four runs were unearned and Lake Forest freshman pitcher Missy Dieckman-Meyer saw her earned run average on the season drop to 2.86.
The only other run for the home team was scored by Beall on a single up the middle by King in the bottom of the second.
Lake Forest is now 10-12 overall this season and 1-3 in Midwest Conference play. Monmouth improved to 9-8 overall after sweeping its first league doubleheader of the year.
The Foresters will be back out on their home field Sunday afternoon against Grinnell College. The Senior Day doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m. and McTague and outfielder Sam Rosenfeld will be honored before the opener.
