Senior pitcher Jenny McTague flirted with her third career no-hitter in the Lake Forest College softball team 's 2-0 victory over Washington University in St. Louis Monday morning. The Foresters were then defeated 5-0 by Concordia University Wisconsin for their second split in as many days at The Spring Games in Leesburg, Florida.
McTague retired the first 11 batters she faced before surrendering a single through the left side of the infield with two outs in the fourth inning. The next five Bears grounded out and they did not have another baserunner until, with two outs in the sixth, one reached on an error and another was hit by a pitch. As she did in the fourth, McTague induced a ground ball back to her to escape the jam. After a bunt single to lead off the bottom of the seventh McTague got three more groundouts to close out the contest. She struck out five batters without issuing a walk in the 10th shutout of her career.
Lake Forest took the lead in the top of the third inning. Sophomore centerfielder Maria Zepeda led off the frame with a double, advanced to third when freshman designated player Riley Frisbie grounded to the second baseman, and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman third baseman Haylee Sherlund.
The Foresters' only other tally came in the top of the sixth when sophomore second baseman Alyssa Grimm led off with her second home run of the season.
The loss dropped Washington's record on the season to 2-3.
Lake Forest fell behind early in the the team's second game of the day. Concordia Wisconsin plated one run in the top of the first inning and scored four more in the fifth.
The Foresters loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and sixth innings but were unable to score. Junior shortstop Kat Beall had two of Lake Forest's six base hits in the game, including her third double of the year.
Junior pitcher Jenny Carpenter pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just two hits and recording a strikeout.
Lake Forest is now 2-2 on the young season while Concordia Wisconsin raised its record to 7-3.
The Foresters will continue play at The Spring Games in Leesburg, Florida, with two more games on Tuesday. After taking on Millikin University at 9:00 in the morning, the team will face off against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 11:30 a.m.
