Lake Forest College Sports Information
May 9, 2003
Contact: Mike Wajerski, SID

Foresters Knock Off Host Wartburg in Round One of NCAA Regional 
Wegner and Clerkin combined for seven base hits
  

 Two of Melissa Wegner's school-record-tying four base hits were doubles.
WAVERLY, IA - The Forester softball team started the 2003 NCAA Regional Tournament with a 6-1 victory over host Wartburg College. Lake Forest, the #3-seed in the double-elimination tourney, improved its record on the season to 24-11. Wartburg, the #2-seed, fell to 32-8.

After a pair of scoreless innings, the Foresters scored twice in the top of the third. Junior pitcher Nancy Findeisen (Beecher, IL/Beecher) led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior right fielder Megan Gibson (Brown Deer, WI/Brown Deer). Freshman Melissa Wegner (Chicago, IL/Lane Tech) singled to center and advanced to second on the throw home, which held Findeisen at third. A wild pitch scored Findeisen and Wegner came home on a two-out error.

After both Findeisen and Gibson singled with two out in the fourth, Wegner smacked an RBI-double down the left field line to extend the lead to 3-0 and chase Wartburg's starting pitcher out of the game.

The Foresters scored their fourth run in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Alissa Mildebrath (Carol Stream, IL/West Chicago) led off with a base hit to left field, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore designated player Shannon Clerkin (Barneveld, WI/Barneveld), and scored on an RBI-single to left center by sophomore left fielder Kristen Feeney (Brookfield, IL/Lyons Township).

Wartburg scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on Kathy Voss's ninth home run of the year. Findeisen, who was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored, was just as impressive in the pitcher's circle. She scattered seven base hits in the complete-game victory while striking out three and walking just one. Findeisen now has a 9-6 record on the season with a 1.61 earned run average.

Lake Forest tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh. Mildebrath led off with a walk and Clerkin, who finished the game 3-for-3, singled. Both runner advanced one base on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out single by sophomore catcher Justeen Streich (Arlington Heights, IL/Hersey).

Wegner had two doubles and tied a school record with four base hits in the contest. She became the third Forester to accomplish the feat this season and the 19th in team history.

The Foresters will play again at 10:00 Saturday (May 10) morning against top-seeded Gustavus Adolphus College, who knocked off #4-seed Clarke College 10-2 in six innings Friday afternoon. Clarke had defeated #5-seed Marian College 1-0 Friday morning. Wartburg will take on Marian later Friday afternoon in an elimination game.

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