Junior catcher Sydney Wyatt belted a game-tying two-run double and then scored on senior shortstop Alyssa Grimm's walk-off single Saturday as the Foresters defeated the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 3-2 in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament at Central College.
The game was scoreless through six innings with Forester senior pitcher Kyra Lenzi allowing just three base hits to that point in the game. She walked the first La Crosse batter of the seventh, however, and the next doubled to right field. Lake Forest junior Missy Dieckman-Meyer, the winning pitcher in Friday's 10-1 triumph over Central, came on in relief of Lenzi and retired all three batters she faced. Unfortunately for the Foresters, the first of those outs was a sacrifice fly and the second a sacrifice bunt, giving the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
A La Crosse error, followed by back-to-back doubles by sophomore designated player Hannah Kalnicky and Wyatt, quickly tied the score at two in the bottom of the seventh. Wyatt advanced to third on a groundout and was still there when Grimm stepped to the plate with two outs. The team leader in runs batted in came through with a single to center, giving the Foresters their second walk-off victory in their last three games.
Dieckman-Meyer was credited with her second victory of the tournament and is now 9-8 on the season.
Lake Forest improved to 26-15 and is one victory away from winning the double-elimination tournament and advancing the the super-regional round for the second time in five seasons. La Crosse will play again Saturday afternoon at 4:00 against the winner of the 1:30 p.m. game between Central and the College of St. Benedict. The winner of Saturday's final contest will advance to take on the Foresters in the championship Sunday at 1:00 p.m. A second championship game, if necessary, would follow at 3:30.
