Lake Forest Splits with Chicago in Final Home Doubleheader of 2009
Hannah Michal, team's only senior, honored between games  
  

Tracy Rainey

Hannah Michal

Shelby Neill

Chicago scored three runs in the second innings of game one and five in the third. The Maroons tacked on one in the fourth and three more in the fifth.

The Foresters finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning. The four-run rally started with one-out walks to junior Sam Pinsonneault (Manchester, N.H./New Hampton) and senior Hannah Michal (Lake Villa, Ill./Grayslake) and continued with a single by freshman Ashley Szyszka (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection). Junior Tracy Rainey (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) then drove in all three runners on a double down the left field line before scoring on a single by junior Mallory Norton (Chicago, Ill./Resurrection). The home team, however, was unable to plate one more to extend the game.

Rainey had two of the Foresters' seven hits in the game. Michal was 1-for-1 and drew a pair of walks.

Lake Forest took the early lead in game two. Michal walked again to lead off the bottom of the first inning and scored on a double by Rainey.

After the Maroons pulled ahead with a three-run second, the Foresters got one back in the bottom of the frame when junior Shelby Neill (Manitou Beach, Mich./Lenawee Christian) doubled and advanced to third and then home on two wild pitches.

Chicago extended its lead to 5-2 with two in the top of the third but the Foresters responded again with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Michal led off by drawing her fourth base on balls on the day. Szyszka then reached on a two-base throwing error by the pitcher and both runners scored on a base hit by Rainey. Rainey took second on the throw home and advanced to third on a flyout to right field. Junior Jeanette Andresen (Woodridge, Ill./Downers Grove South) singled her in and then scored on Neill's second home run of the season.

Freshman pitcher Cami Daun (Sheboygan, Wis./Sheboygan North) entered the game in the top of the fourth inning and held the Maroons scoreless the rest of the way for her first collegiate victory. She allowed just four base hits and a walk in four innings of work.

Szyszka scored the Foresters' eighth run of the game on a Rainey double in the fourth inning and Norton added a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Rainey, who was 4-for-4 with a school record-tying three doubles in the contest and 6-for-7 with four doubles and seven runs batted in on the day. She also tied the program's mark for doubles in a season with 15. Rainey leads the team with a .447 batting average and 28 runs batted in.

It was the final career home game for Michal, the team's only senior. She, along with her mother, was honored out on the field before the contest.

The Foresters will finish up the regular season with a pair of doubleheaders on the road this weekend (April 25-26). The team will play at Grinnell College at 1:00 Saturday afternoon and at Knox College at the same time on Sunday. Lake Forest would earn a spot in the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament with victories in three of the four games and could qualify with less than that, depending on the outcome of Grinnell's doubleheader against visiting Monmouth College on Sunday. A fourth consecutive MWC South Division title is also within reach.