The Lake Forest College softball team suffered it first Midwest Conference loss of the season Wednesday night, a 9-4 decision against Monmouth College. The game was played at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

The loss drops the Foresters to 15-16 overall this season and 5-1 in conference play. Monmouth's victory kept the Fighting Scots in contention for a berth in this weekend's four-team MWC Championship Tournament with a final league record of 6-2 (17-16 overall).

Lake Forest actually scored the first four runs of the contest in the top of the second inning. Sophomore shortstop Sam Ritsema was hit by a pitch to start the frame and freshman outfielder Jessica Tucker followed with a base hit up the middle. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt by senior Leslie Harshey and Ritsema scored when the third strike on senior catcher Danielle Gore went to the backstop. Gore stole second and junior third baseman Megan Harkins walked to load the bases. Freshman outfielder Whitney Leiderman drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and the last two runs came home when freshman second baseman Alyssa Vechola's base hit got away from the left fielder.

Lake Forest's lead was short-lived, however, as Monmouth plated five in the bottom of the inning. The Scots added two in the fourth and two more in the fifth and held the Foresters scoreless the rest of the way.

Vechiola had two of Lake Forest's four base hits in the contest.

The result of this game makes the Foresters' doubleheader against Illinois College (1:00 p.m. at Waubonsee Community College) even more important. The winner or game one will earn the right to host Saturday and Sunday's MWC Championship Tournament and the loser of the contest will need to win game two to clinch a spot in the tourney.