The Lake Forest College softball team clinched a spot in next weekend's Midwest Conference Championship Series on Saturday by defeating visiting St. Norbert College 3-1 in the opener of the doubleheader and 13-2 in five innings in game two.
Game one was a pitcher's duel and Forester senior Maddie Webb was up to the task. She limited the Green Knights to just four base hits and a pair of walks while striking out six in the contest.
Lake Forest jumped out to the early lead with a run in each of the first two innings. Sophomore third baseman Melissa Manzo singled with one out in the opening frame, advanced to second on an error, and scored on a two-out base hit by sophomore left fielder Brie Gauthier. The second inning run was scored by junior center fielder Josie Klein, who drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a base hit by senior second baseman Shaye Gauthier, stole third, and scored on an errant throw by the catcher.
After St. Norbert plated a run in the top of the fourth inning, the Foresters regained their two-run lead in the bottom of the frame on sophomore right fielder Elena Chrisman's third homer of the year.
Webb kept the Knights off the scoreboard the rest of the way and improved to 7-1 on the season.
Webb served as an offensive catalyst for the Foresters in game two, doubling in a run and scoring ahead of junior second baseman Carlie Mertz on a double by Brie Gauthier in the first inning.
St. Norbert scored once in the top of the second and Lake Forest answered with a sacrifice fly by Chrisman in the bottom half.
The home team broke the game open with eight runs in the third. The first seven batters of the inning reached base. Doubles by Brie Gauthier, senior shortstop Hannah Kalnicky, and Manzo drove in a combined five runs and two more came home on Klein's team-high fourth round-tripper of the season. Mertz capped off the rally by beating out a ground ball to score Manzo.
Shaye Gauthier was in the circle for the Foresters in game two and, after surrendering the Knights' second run of the contest in the top of the fourth, belted her first home run of the year in the bottom of the inning to close out the scoring. Gauthier allowed six hits while striking out five and walking three in the victory, which improved her record in 2021 to 6-2.
The Gauthier sisters were each 3-for-3 at the plate and combined to score four runs and drive in five in the team's final home game of the year.
Lake Forest's seniors -- Webb, Kalnicky, Shaye Gauthier, Nicole Schussler, Abby Ponder, and Erin Karasewski -- were honored on the field between games and Karasewski was presented with the program's Mia Gurevitz Award as a unanimous selection by her teammates.
The Foresters are now 23-5 overall this year and 12-2 in MWC North Division play. St. Norbert fell to 17-9 overall and 10-4 in the league.
Lake Forest will close out the regular season at Lawrence University on Sunday. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m.