The Lake Forest College softball team took the opener 3-2 but fell 3-1 in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader at North Central College.

Forester pitchers allowed just three earned runs in the two games combined. Junior Hannah Smith went the distance in the victory, limiting the Cardinals to just one earned run on five base hits and a walk. She also struck out two batters to climb into ninth place in program history with 125 in her career. Fellow junior Kelly Collins was nearly as effective in game two, surrendering just two earned runs on five hits and a base on balls.

The visitors took the lead in the top of the second inning of game one. Freshman left fielder Jolie Devalk singled through the left side of the infield and the ball was misplayed by the North Central left fielder, allowing sophomore designated player Kyla Chevalier to score from second. Freshman catcher Paige Ratliff singled in a run later in the inning to make the score 2-0.

Freshman shortstop Maci Lake drove in what proved to be an important insurance run on a base hit in the top of the fourth.

That was all Smith needed as she allowed just single tallies in the fourth and seventh and stranded runners at second and third when she induced a popup to end the game.

Lake Forest scored first in game two as well. Sophomore first baseman Makayla Taraciewicz cleared the fence in left-center field in the top of the second inning for her first collegiate home run.

The Foresters had just four hits in the contest and Cardinal runs in the second, third, and sixth innings forced the visitors to settle for a doubleheader split.

Lake Forest is now 11-9 and North Central 16-4 on the year.

The Foresters will resume Midwest Conference play against visiting Cornell College on Thursday. the the doubleheader's first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.