The Forester softball team split a doubleheader at the University of Chicago on Sunday, falling 4-3 in nine innings in the opener before prevailing 2-0 in five innings in game two, which was shortened by darkness.
Game two was the first career shutout for sophomore Brooke Challe, who allowed just three base hits and a walk. She improved to 2-0 with a 1.47 earned run average on the season.
Sophomore Ailee Pederson, Lake Forest's starting pitcher in the opener, also turned in a strong performance. She struck out six batters and surrendered three earned runs in eight innings of work. Pederson escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the seventh, striking out one batter and getting the next to line out to force extra innings.
Freshman third baseman Cadence Dempsey and junior first baseman Teagan Delarwelle each had a pair of base hits in game one.
The Foresters took the early lead on an error in the top of the first and added to it with a run-scoring double by freshman center fielder Emmie Nyen in the second. Chicago tied the score with two in the bottom of the second and Dempsey's second home run of the year put the visitors back on top in the third. The Maroons tied the score again with one out in the seventh and won on a walkoff single with two outs in the ninth.
Both Lake Forest runs in game two were scored in the top of the fourth inning. Delarwelle raced home on a wild pitch to break the scoreless tie and then a base hit by sophomore second baseman Kelly Collins made the score 2-0.
The split makes Lake Forest 17-12 and Chicago 19-8-1 on the season.
The Foresters will host two more non-conference game against North Central College Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.