The Monmouth College softball team dropped the final games of the season to Lake Forest on Sunday. The Scots (13-27, 5-11) lost 6-5 in game one and 12-3 in game two on Senior Day,
In the opener, Lake Forest took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Abby Leber (Tremont, Illinois). Neither team scored again until Leber led off the fourth with a solo home run.
The Foresters scored two in the fifth and the Scots left the base loaded in the bottom of the inning. Down 6-1 in the seventh, the Scots mounted a rally. Lillian Hucke (Aledo, Illinois) reached on an error and moved up on a wild pitch. Leber reached on an error and Hucke scored on a wild pitch. Kendall Lewis (Cambridge, Illinois) singled and Olivia Riddley (Chatham, Illinois) launched a 3-run homer to cut the LFC lea to 6-5. But the Foresters got the final out to secure the win
Leber (6-112) took the loss in a complete game effort. She went over the 100 strikeout plateau on the season and allowed five earned runs on nine hits over seven innings.
GAME TWO
Lake Forest led off the second game with a homer against Lizzie Durfee (Arlington, Washington). The Scots tied the game in the bottom of the first. Calista Warmowski (Fox Lake, Illinois) singled and fellow senior Madelyn Belville (Rushville, Illinois) walked. With two outs, Hucke walked to load the bases. Leber singled to drive in Warmowski and tie the game.
;Lake Forest scored seven unanswered to take an 8-1 lead. Hucke led off the fourth with a walk and Leber also walked. Lewis singled to load the bases and Riddley brought home Hucke with a fielder’s choice. Biancha Luna (Monmouth, Illinois) single home Leber to cut the LFC lead to 8-3. The visitors plated two in the fifth and two more in the sixth to get the 12-3 run-rule win.
Durfee (3-11) took the loss as she allowed five runs on five hits over 1 innings. Anna McCarty (Decatur, Illinois) allowed four earned runs on seven hits over three innings and Addison Steward (Danvers, Illinois) allowed two runs in one inning. Leber came on in relief to get the final out of the sixth inning.
MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Leber finished the season with 100 strikeouts in 115 inningsShe posted a 2.25 ERA.For her career, Leber had 26 complete games, 57 appearances, 52 starts and 281 strikeoutsShe ranks eighth on Monmouth’s appearances list, sixth in starts, third in strikeouts, eighth in innings (310.2) and tied for sixth in shutouts (5)…Warmowski, Belville, Leber and MyKenzie Kloess (Dupo, Illinois) were honored pre-game for Senior DayKloess led the team this season with a .312 average, 10 doubles and 17 RBIWarmowski led the team with 39 hits and 21 runs scoredBelville hit .252 with 29 hits and 14 runs scoredAt the plate, Leber hit .296 with a homer, four doubles and 10 RBI in just 54 at-batsWarmowski finished her career with 98 hits and a .293 averageKloess finished with 92 hits and a .306 average while ranking 11th on Monmouth’s career list with 22 doubles.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
