CHICAGO, Ill. – The University of Chicago softball team held on late to win game one and then recorded a walk-off hit in extra innings in game two to sweep Lake Forest College on Tuesday. The No. 21-ranked Maroons improved to 21-5 and the Foresters fell to 20-7.

Game One – UChicago 5, Lake Forest 4

The visitors scored one unearned run in the opening inning on a fielder's choice. UChicago sophomore pitcher Jordan Poole limited the damage by forcing a pop out and a strikeout to strand three runners on base. The Maroons then plated two runs of their own in the bottom of the first when senior third baseman Maddie McManus blasted a home run to right center.

In the fourth inning, senior outfielder Kaitlyn Carpenter smacked a two-run homer of her own to put UChicago up 4-1. Sophomore outfielder Devan Parkison was in scoring position at the time, recording an infield single and swiping both second and third base. Parkison ended up with three steals in the game.

Poole cruised through the Lake Forest lineup until the top of the sixth, when the Foresters tallied a pair of solo home runs to draw within 4-3. UChicago then scored an insurance run on a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth to create some separation.

Down to their last three outs, the visitors made it interesting again in the seventh. With the bases loaded and two outs, a RBI single to third base made the score 5-4. But a groundout to second base ended the game in UChicago's favor.

The home side totaled nine hits and one error on defense. Carpenter and McManus both hit 2-for-4 with one homer and two RBI apiece. Parkison and junior outfielder Raechel Cloud both went 2-for-3, with Cloud also contributing two stolen bases.

Poole (13-1) tossed all seven innings to get the win. The sophomore struck out seven and walked six while allowing five hits and four runs (three earned).

Game Two – UChicago 4, Lake Forest 3

Lake Forest started fast again in game two by drawing a walk and then hitting a two-run homer in the first two batters of the game. The Foresters then made it 3-0 in the third inning with another solo home run.

UChicago took advantage of its opportunities in its half of the third inning to tie the game at 3-3. Freshman Maggie O'Hara scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded for the first run. McManus then poked a RBI single to the shortstop and Poole followed with a RBI fielder's choice.

For the next six innings, neither team was able to generate offense against the opposing pitchers. After stepping into relief in the first inning, junior pitcher Tabbetha Bohac sent down the Foresters with a bevy of strikeouts on fastballs and changeups. Bohac stayed strong as the game dragged on into extra innings and finished with a career-best 16 strikeouts.

The Maroons had a golden opportunity to end the contest in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and one out. But a double play snuffed out the scoring chance and forced a tenth inning.

With daylight fading fast, UChicago loaded the bases once again in the tenth thanks to a pair of errors to start the inning. Poole wristed a single on the ground to shortstop that scored the game-winner from third base to complete the doubleheader sweep.

The Maroons were held to seven hits total. McManus was 2-for-4 with one RBI and Parkison went 2-for-5 in the leadoff spot.

Bohac improved to 8-4 on the year. She allowed seven hits, one run and five walks in 10 innings pitched. Junior Emily Ashbridge faced two hitters to start the game, ending up with one hit, one walk and two runs.

NEXT GAMES:

• Thursday, Apr. 24 – UChicago at Wheaton College (DH), 3 PM