Wheaton, Ill.(4/2) – The Thunder softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Lake Forest College on Monday afternoon at Ruth Leedy Field. Lake Forest won the opener 7-5 and the Thunder won the nightcap 5-4 . Wheaton is now 11-7 on the season and Lake Forest is 5-9. The Thunder will travel to Trinity International on Tuesday for a 3 PM doubleheader in Deerfield, Illinois.
Lake Forest was a 7-5 victor in Monday's opener as the guests scored seven runs, on 12 hits, with no errors and Wheaton plated five runs, on 10 hits, with four errors. Lake Forest scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead, however, Wheaton scored two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game. Wheaton's runs crossed the plate in the first inning off of RBI-singles by Beth Miller and Amanda Grant. The Forresters plated a run in the top of the second to give the guests a 3-2 lead.
Wheaton took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third inning when Sarah Callicut hit a leadoff single and junior Trinity Pierce belted a two-run home run. Lake Forest regained the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning and the guests added two more in the top of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Wheaton added one run in the sixth inning when Grant led off with a double to centerfield and she scored on a ground out by freshman Becky Redline to cut the Lake Forest lead to 7-5, however, the Thunder could not complete the rally.
Pierce was 2-for-3, with two runs, two RBI, a walk and her fifth home run of the season. Callicutt was 3-for-4, with a run scored. Grant was 2-for-3 at the plate, with a RBI and a run scored. Starting pitcher Sara Hoffman (1-2) took the loss in three innings of work, with five runs, four earned runs, on eight hits, with one walk and two strikeouts. Miller pitched four innings of relief, allowing two runs, on four hits, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Wheaton was a 5-4 victor in Monday's second game as the Thunder scored five runs, on 12 hits, with two errors and Lake Forest scored four runs, on nine hits, with one error. Lake Forest scored one run in the top of the first inning and Wheaton countered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 4-1 lead. Callicut hit a one-out single to centerfield in the first and she scored on a double to right centerfield by Pierce. Pierce crossed the plate when freshman Alissa Sharp belted a triple to right field. Sharp crossed the plate on a single by Miller and freshman Kay Oliver added a RBI-single to give the hosts a 4-1 lead.
Lake Forest scored three runs in the top of the third inning to tie the game at 4-4. Junior Lauren Hein belted a home run over the leftfield fence with one out in the bottom of the fourth inning to give Wheaton the 5-4 lead that would become the final score.
Sharp was 2-for-3, with a run scored, a run driven in and a triple. Oliver was 2-for-3, with a double and a run driven in. Miller also had a 2-for-3 effort with a run driven in. Callicutt was 2-for-4, with a double and a run scored. Grant went 1-for-2, with a walk, a double and a run scored.
Miller was the starting pitcher for the Thunder, with three innings on the mound. She allowed four runs, on seven hits, with two walks and one strikeout. Junior Kim Hegna (4-2) earned the victory in four innings of relief, allowing no runs, on two hits, with one strikeout.
