The Lake Forest College softball team defeated Lawrence University 7-0 and 10-4 at home on Sunday.
The games were originally scheduled to be played at Lawrence, but weather and field conditions caused them to be moved to the artificial turf of the newly-renovated Mohr Field. The teams' doubleheader on April 25, which was supposed to be played at Lake Forest, will now take place at Lawrence.
Senior Maddie Webb pitched the first seven-inning shutout of her career in the opener. It was her third shutout overall with the other two coming in five-inning contests. Lawrence managed just three hits -- all singles -- and Webb struck out four batters while walking two. She improved to 2-0 on the year.
Webb also drove in the game's first run on a sacrifice bunt in the top of the fourth inning and another run came home as the result of an error on the same play. An infield single by junior Carlie Mertz brought home two runs in the fifth and one of two doubles in the game by sophomore rightfielder Elena Chrisman, who was 3-for-3 overall, drove in another later in the inning. Senior second baseman Shaye Gauthier plated a run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth and a pinch-hit single by freshman Jenny Gibbs brought home the seventh and final run.
Lake Forest jumped out to the early lead in game two on an RBI single by senior shortstop Hannah Kalnicky in the top of the first inning. Lawrence, however, tied the score in the bottom of the third.
A run-scoring single by freshman Melena Stemmler, who started at second base, moved to left field, and then returned to second later in the contest, regained the lead for the Forester in the fourth and a sacrifice fly by Kalnicky in the fifth made the score 3-1. The Vikings, however, took their first lead of the day with a three-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.
Lake Forest had four base hits, including a leadoff double by junior pitcher Carlie Mertz and run-scoring singles by freshman catcher Angelle Bills and junior centerfielder Josie Klein, in the top of the sixth and two Lawrence errors, a fielder's choice that did not result in an out, and a wild pitch turned it into a decisive six-run inning. The Foresters' final tally came on a pinch-hit single by freshman Teagan Delarwelle in the seventh.
Five Lake Forest players had two base hits in the game and the team finished with 26 hits on the day.
The Foresters used three pitchers in the contest, including both Gauthier sisters. Shaye Gauthier started and allowed a run on three hits while striking out six and walking four in three-and-two-thirds innings of work. Mertz escaped a fourth-inning jam but surrendered three runs while striking out two in the fifth. She was credited with the victory while Brie Gauthier, who allowed a hit and a walk in the final two frames, earned her first career save.
Lake Forest improved to 9-3 this season while Lawrence remained winless in six games. The games did not count toward either team's Midwest Conference record.
The Foresters will begin league official play against Ripon College on Saturday. The doubleheader is set to start at 1:00 p.m.
