The Lake Forest College softball team defeated Concordia University Chicago 12-3 in five innings and 11-3 in six on Thursday. The Foresters' first two games of the season were played in The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.
Lake Forest was the home team in game one of the doubleheader and allowed an unearned run in the top of the first inning. The offense responded with two in the bottom of the frame with senior shortstop Hannah Kalnicky driving in the first with a double and scoring the second on an error.
The Foresters broke the game open with seven more runs in the second. Sophomore third baseman Melissa Manzo scored the first run of the rally on a base hit by sophomore leftfielder Brie Gauthier. Senior pitcher Shaye Gauthier tripled to plate her sister and then came home on another Kalnicky double. A bases-loaded hit by pitch brought home Kalnicky, senior first baseman Abby Ponder singled in a pair, and a double by Melissa Manzo made the score 9-1.
After the Cougars scored twice in the top of the fourth, Lake Forest answered with three in the home half of the inning. Brie Gauthier singled in the first and another triple by Shaye Gauthier plated two more. Shaye became just the fourth player in program history with two triples in a game.
Kalnicky, Shaye Gauthier, and Ponder each had three of the Foresters' 14 hits while Manzo and Brie Gauthier chipped in with two apiece. Shaye Gauthier also earned the victory in the circle, allowing just two earned runs on four hits while striking out four in as many innings of work. Junior Meghan Joyce closed out the game, adding another strikeout in a scoreless fifth inning.
The Foresters were the visitors in game two and took the lead in the top of the first inning on Kalnicky's fourth hit of the doubleheader.
Concordia Chicago tied the score in the bottom of the second but a 6-run third put Lake Forest comfortably ahead for good. The inning included a sacrifice fly by senior pitcher Maddie Webb, a triple by junior catcher Hailey Boylan, a costly dropped fly ball, and run-scoring singles by sophomore rightfielder Elena Chrisman and junior centerfielder Josie Klein.
The Cougars scored once in the bottom of the inning and both teams added a run in the fifth, the Foresters on a sacrifice fly by Klein. Three more Lake Forest runs in the sixth, including two on a single by Chrisman, closed out the scoring.
Junior transfer Carlie Mertz came on in relief of Webb in the third and allowed just one run on three hits with three strikeouts in the final four innings. The victory was the first of her career.
Boylan had a game-high three base hits while Chrisman and Shaye Gauthier each added two. The Foresters finished with 13 hits in the contest and batted .500 (27-for-54) on the day.
Concordia Chicago fell to 1-5 this season.
Lake Forest will play its 2021 home opener against the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point on Sunday. The doubleheader will begin at 1:00 p.m.
