The Forester softball team defeated visiting Carthage College 12-1 in five innings in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader before falling 9-1 in game two, which also lasted just five frames.
Freshman Hannah Smith earned the victory in the circle in game one, allowing just a run on three singles with a strikeout and a walk in four innings of work. Classmate Brooke Challe tossed a 1-2-3 fifth to close out the contest.
After a scoreless first inning, Lake Forest batted around in the second, third, and fourth. Freshman second baseman Kelly Collins starter the first rally with a leadoff triple over the center fielder's glove and came home on a sacrifice fly by freshman first baseman Cheyenne Pellettiere. After a couple of Carthage errors brought home another Forester, junior right fielder Elena Chrisman singled in one run and a base hit by senior designated player Hailey Boylan plated two to make the score 5-0.
Pellettiere belted her first career home run to left-center field to lead off the bottom of the third inning and senior center fielder Josie Klein cleared the center field fence for a three-run shot later in the frame.
While nine runs would have been enough, the home team tacked on three more when freshman third baseman Caeli Kinsella lined a bases-loaded double over the second baseman's head and to the fence in the fourth.
Lake Forest hitters drew 10 walks in the game, including three by Klein and two by senior left fielder Carlie Mertz.
The tables were turned in game two as Carthage scored four times in the top of the first after a Forester error extended the inning. The Firebirds racked up a dozen hits in the game and added two runs in the third, one in the fourth, and two more in the fifth.
The only run of the game for Lake Forest came on a first inning homer to center field by Klein, who now has four round-trippers in the last four games and a team-high five on the year. She drew another walk in the third and reached base safely in six of seven plate appearances in the doubleheader.
Mertz accounted for the Foresters' only other hit in game two.
The split left Lake Forest with an overall record of 10-10 on the season and Carthage is now 5-7.
The Foresters are 2-0 in Midwest Conference games and will resume their league schedule on the road next weekend. They will play a doubleheader at Knox College Saturday afternoon at 1:00 and a another twinbill at Illinois College at the same time on Sunday.
