Lake Forest Wins Four of Five Games at Midwest Conference Classic
Mallory Norton hits her fifth home run of the season
  

Mallory Norton

Megan Harkins

Tracy Rainey

Jeanette Andresen

The Foresters tallied 21 base hits against Carroll to match the third-highest single-game total in team history. Senior Mallory Norton (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection) had one in each of the five innings, including doubles in the first two frames, to become just the third player in program history with five base hits in a contest. Classmate Shelby Neill (Manitou Beach, Mich./Lenawee Christian) was 4-for-4 with a double and freshman Megan Harkins (Homewood, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) 3-for-3 with a triple. Senior Jill Pfund (Morenci, Mich./Morenci) doubled and drove in four runs while Norton, Harkins, and senior Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) each added three RBI, including the 100th of Norton's career. Rainey homered in the fourth inning and crossed home plate three times in the game. Fellow senior Jeanette Andresen (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) also scored three runs in the contest.

Lake Forest scored six runs in each of the first two innings, one in the third, and five in the fourth. All four Lady Pioneer runs were scored in the bottom of the fourth.

Forester freshman starting pitcher Kelly Chesnut (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) pitched three-plus innings to earn the victory.

Lake Forest started fast again against Lawrence, scoring twice in the bottom of the first inning on RBI-singles by freshman Nikki Miller (Starkville, Miss./Starkville Academy) and Andresen. After the Vikings scored in the top of the third, Rainey led off the bottom of the frame with a double and later scored on a passed ball. Both teams scored again in the fifth, the Foresters when a groundout by Neill plated Norton, who had led off the inning with a single.

Andresen had three of Lake Forest's seven base hits in the contest and Rainey and Norton each scored twice.

Freshman pitcher Jordan Ratliff (Petersburg, Mich./Summerfield) pitched all seven innings, striking out six batters while allowing seven hits and two walks.

Andresen drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk in the top of the first inning against Ripon to give the Foresters another early lead. Rainey belted a two-run homer, her second round-tripper of the day and third this season in the second inning. A wild pitch had scored a run earlier in the frame and Miller doubled in Norton with the other tally. Lake Forest extended the lead to 7-0 in the fifth when a passed ball scored Andresen and a wild pitch plated Neill.

Rainey, Norton, and fellow senior Sam Pinsonneault (Manchester, N.H./New Hampton) each had a pair of base hits in the contest. Rainey established new program records with her 115th career run scored in the second inning and her 170th career hit in the fourth.

Molly Thomsen (Rumford, R.I./St. Mary Academy) became the third Forester freshman pitcher to earn a victory on the day. She held the Red Hawks scoreless until a five-run fifth inning. Sophomore Cami Daun (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan North) recorded the final out of the frame in relief and tossed a scoreless sixth inning. She did not allow a run while surrendering just three base hits in as many innings on the day. Ratliff pitched the seventh for her first career save.

Lake Forest went without a first inning run for the first time on the weekend in Sunday's opener against Beloit. The Foresters scored five times in the second, inning, however. Andresen hit her third home run of the season with one out to start the rally. Sophomore Danielle Gore (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey) drove in a pair of runs on a base hit with two outs and the bases loaded and Rainey followed with another two-run single.

Five consecutive batters drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth. Rainey and Norton started the run with back-to-back RBI singles and advanced an extra base on a wild pitch. After a pitching change, Miller singled in Rainey, Andresen doubled in Norton, and Neill drove in the last run on a groundout.

Andresen was a triple shy of the cycle and Rainey also had three base hits in the contest. Rainey also drove in three runs while Gore and Andresen had two RBI apiece.

Thomsen pitched all five innings and allowed just two fifth-inning runs on four base hits while striking out two batters and walking one. She evened her record at 3-3 and lowered her earned run average to 3.50 on the season.

Lake Forest wasted little time taking the lead against St. Norbert. Harkins led off the game with a double. She then stole third base and scored when the throw from the catcher went into left field. Unfortunately for the Foresters, it would be the only run they scored in the contest.

The Green Knights tied the score in the bottom of the second inning and then rallied for four runs in the fifth.

Miller had two of Lake Forest's four base hits in the game.

Andresen posted a team-high .571 batting average in the five MWC Classic games combined. Norton was next at .563, followed by Rainey at .533 and Harkins at an even .500. Rainey led the squad with seven runs scored, eight RBI, a .632 on-base percentage, and a 1.000 slugging percentage. Norton is now batting a team-high .474 on the season and has raised her career batting average over the .400 mark. At .401, she currently ranks second in team history behind Rainey at .405.

Lake Forest will host Wheaton College in a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon (April 14) at 3:00. The Foresters will resume league play next weekend (April 17-18) with two games at Illinois College on Saturday and two more at Monmouth College on Sunday. Both doubleheaders will begin at 1:00 p.m.