Lake Forest College softball player Maria Zepeda was named Forester Athlete of the Week on Thursday for her performance in the team's final four games of last week's Spring Break trip to Florida.
Zepeda, the Foresters' leadoff hitter, reached base safely on each of her first six plate appearances on Friday. She singled to lead off the team's loss to Linfield College, the ninth-ranked team in the nation. The senior centerfielder was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning and added another single in the sixth. She drew walks in the first, third, and fifth innings of a loss to Rowan University later in the day and added a pair of stolen bases in the contest.
Lake Forest split a pair of games on Saturday, falling 7-3 to SUNY-Geneseo and defeating Hope College 5-4. Zepeda walked and stole another base against Geneseo and doubled, scored twice, and drew two more bases on balls against Hope.
The walks to Zepeda in the team's final game of the trip made her the program's all-time leader with 72 in her career. With three hits, six walks, and a hit-by-pitch on Friday and Saturday, she reached base safely in 10 of 15 trips to the plate in the four games combined and raised her on-base percentage on the season to .527.
Forester Athletes of the Week are selected by the Athletic Department on Thursdays. Zepeda, who was named Midwest Conference Position Player of the Week on Monday, also earned the award at the College once as a sophomore and twice last season.
