After a 4-0 loss in the opener ended the Lake Forest College softball team's school record 13-game winning streak, the Foresters defeated Wheaton College 8-1 in game to for their 20th win of the season. Freshman pitcher Jenny McTague surrendered just a pair of base hits in the second game and is now 9-1 on the season.
After the Thunder took a 1-0 lead on an unearned run of McTague in the top of fifth inning, the Foresters' pitcher drew a leadoff walk to begin a seven-run rally in the bottom of the frame. Junior centerfielder Kayla Borgra followed with a double and a base hit by freshman rightfielder Tara Airola plated a pair of runs, to put Lake Forest on top. Senior shortstop Sam Ritsema singled through the left side of the infield and advanced to second on the play. Sophomore first baseman Sally Snarski then hit a ground ball to the third baseman, who tried to get Airola at home but the throw was low and got past the catcher, allowing Ritsema to hustle home with the fourth run of the inning. Sophomore third baseman Kaleigh Ambrose doubled in Snarski and sophomore catcher Alex Hemmer followed with a towering home run, her third of the season.
The Foresters' final tally of the game came in the bottom of the sixth inning on Ritsema's fourth home run of the year.
McTague finished the contest with seven strikeouts and lowered her earned run average on the season to 1.14.
The Lake Forest victory salvaged a split in the doubleheader after Wheaton took game one. The Thunder scored a run in the each of the first two innings and two in the fourth. The Foresters' only hit of the contest was a leadoff single by Borgra in the bottom of the third inning.
The Foresters are now 20-5 and Wheaton 16-14 this season.
Lake Forest will play another non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday at the University of Chicago. Game one will begin at 3:00 p.m.
