Lake Forest Sweeps Carthage at Home
Six Foresters had at least three hits on the day 
  

Hannah Starck's diving catch ended one game and she scored the winning run in the other.

Sophomore Erin Watts (Evergreen Park, IL/Evergreen Park) was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles in game one. Her first two-bagger drove in two runs and gave the home team a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. She also led off the sixth inning with her team-high seventh double of the year and later scored on an errant throw on her steal of third base. Freshman Jessica Kirincich (Channahon, IL/Minooka) also had a two-base hit in the sixth to drive in another insurance run.

The Foresters fell behind early as Carthage scored one off junior Ashley Closson (Murphysboro, IL/Murphysboro) in the top of the first inning. A three-run third gave the home team the lead and, after the Lady Reds pulled to within one with a run in the fifth, Lake Forest tacked on two more in the sixth. The game’s final out came on a diving catch by senior centerfielder Hannah Starck (Aurora, IL/Aurora West) with the bases loaded. Closson allowed one earned run, six base hits, and a walk in the complete game victory. She also struck out five batters.

Seniors Alissa Mildebrath (Carol Stream, IL/West Chicago) and Kristen Feeney (Brookfield, IL/Lyons Township), junior Melissa Wegner (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech), and freshman Christy Condon (Brookfield, WI/Brookfield East) each had three base hits in game two of the doubleheader. Kirincich added a pair of doubles and scored twice while Feeney drove in a pair.

Carthage took the early lead again with a first-inning tally but the Foresters plated two in the bottom of the frame. The Lady Reds scored two more in the third to regain the advantage, only to lose it when Lake Forest brought home four in the fourth. The visitors pulled to within one with two runs in the fifth, tied the score in the sixth, and grabbed a 7-6 lead with one more in the seventh. Watts, who did not start the game, was called on to pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the seventh and promptly tied the score with her first home run of the season. The Foresters loaded the bases and, with one out, Feeney singled down the left field line to score Starck with the winning run. The Foresters had at least one hit in every inning and a season-high 15 in the game. Freshman Kendra Grant (Bothell, WA/Bothell) allowed a dozen hits, four earned runs, and three walks in the complete game victory. She also struck out a season-high four batters.

Lake Forest will travel to Janesville, Wisconsin, this weekend (April 9-10) for the annual Midwest Conference Classic. The Foresters will take on Beloit College, Carroll College, and Lawrence University on Saturday and both Ripon College and St. Norbert College on Sunday.