Lake Forest Splits with North Central to Close out Regular Season
Christy Condon belts walk-off home run in opener 
  

Christy Condon

Tracy Rainey

North Central jumped out to an early lead in game one with three runs in the first inning. The Foresters came back and scored four times in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Shelby Neill (Manitou Beach, Mich./Lenawee Christian) started off the inning with a base hit, advanced to second on a groundout, and reached third on a two-out infield single by sophomore Sam Pinsonneault (Manchester, N.H./New Hampton). Senior Erin Ruberg (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) then drove in a run on a single through the right side of the infield and sophomore Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) followed with her first home run of the season.

The Cardinals eventually tied the game with a tally in the top of the sixth inning, setting up a dramatic finish. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Lake Forest senior Christy Condon (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) belted her 10th home run of the season and 33rd of her career to give the Foresters the victory. It was also her school record 38th run batted in of the year.

Sophomore Jeanette Andresen (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) pitched the entire game for the Foresters and raised her record on the season to 7-2. Rainey had three hits in the game and Neill two.

The home team managed just five base hits in game two, including two by sophomore Jill Pfund (Morenci, Mich./Morenci).

North Central scored two runs in the first inning and one in every other inning except the sixth.

Lake Forest will host the Midwest Conference Championship Tournament this weekend (May 2-3). The double-elimination event will begin Friday morning at 10:00 when St. Norbert College takes on Monmouth College. The Foresters will host Ripon College at noon and games between the opening round losers and winners will be played at 2:00 and 4:00, respectively. Play will resume at 10:00 Saturday morning and the championship is scheduled for noon. A second championship game will be played at 2:00 p.m., if necessary.