Lake Forest Holds Off Trinity International for 10-9 Win
Watts posts third straight three-hit game 
  

Justeen Streich tied her career high with three runs batted in.

The Foresters scored three runs in the top of the first inning. Junior Melissa Wegner (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech) reached on an error to lead off the game and later scored on a passed ball. Sophomore Erin Watts (Evergreen Park, IL/Evergreen Park) singled and stole a base in the inning and senior Justeen Streich’s (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey) two-out double drove in a pair of runs. Trinity pulled to within a run by scoring two in the bottom of the frame.

After a scoreless second, the visitors erupted with six more runs in the third. Consecutive singles by Watts, freshman Jessica Kirincich (Channahon, IL/Minooka) and junior Ashley Closson (Murphysboro, IL/Murphysboro) scored Watts with the first run of the inning. Streich matched a career-high with her third run batted in of the game on a fielder’s choice and Wegner drove in two with a single. Four of the six runs were unearned due to three Trinity errors and two of the three the home team scored in the bottom of the inning were also unearned because of a Forester miscue.

Lake Forest maintained its 9-5 lead until the bottom of the sixth inning when, thanks to a pair of Lake Forest errors, the Trojans scored three more unearned runs to pull to within one at 9-8.

Streich singled to lead off the top of the seventh, stole second base with one out, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on a pinch-hit double by sophomore Jenny Riddle (Bloomington, IL/Normal). The insurance run proved to be a valuable one as Trinity scored once and had the tying run on second base when the final batter of the game flew out to Watts in center field.

In addition to singles in the first and third innings, Watts added her team-high third triple of the year in the sixth for her third consecutive three-hit game. She also leads the squad with a .458 batting average, .723 slugging percentage, 10 doubles, 23 runs batted in, and 13 stolen bases on the year.

Just four of the nine runs Closson allowed were earned and she raised her record on the season to 7-5.

The Foresters will play their final home doubleheader of the year on Thursday (April 21) at 3:00 p.m. against the University of Chicago. The team will be back on the road for a pair of Midwest Conference South Division twinbills at Grinnell College and Knox College over the weekend (April 23-24).