With a pair of wins in their final regular-season games of the year, the Lake Forest softball team clinched the outright Midwest Conference regular-season title on Sunday at Monmouth College.
 
The Foresters (25-14-1, 14-2 MWC) defeated the hosts, 2-0, in game one, followed by a 6-1 victory in the second contest.
 
For Lake Forest, its run of success continues within the Midwest Conference. The conference championship is the program's eighth title in the last 11 years, and it is the 14th conference title in team history.
 
By winning the regular-season championship, the Foresters will host the Midwest Conference Tournament at Mohr Field on Friday, and Saturday's games will be played at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis. The winner of the MWC tournament will receive an automatic bid to NCAA tournament.
 
Game 1: Lake Forest 2, Monmouth 0
The Foresters leaned on junior pitcher Riley Stiles and timely hitting gave Lake Forest a 2-0 victory in game one.
 
Stiles (10-4) earned her team-high 10th win of the season with another dominant performance in the circle. After recording a complete-game shutout in her most recent start against Lawrence on April 27, Stiles put together another gem on Saturday.
 
Stiles did not allow a run in her seven innings pitched, surrendering just three hits – all singles – while striking out five. In her last 24 innings pitched, Stiles has allowed just three earned runs, lowering her ERA to a team-low 1.94.
 
Kyla Chevalier went 2-for-3, and Kelly Collins and Emmie Nyen also provided the offense, as each of them contributed an RBI in the low-scoring contest.
 
The Foresters took advantage of a Fighting Scots mistake in the first inning to get the scoring started. With two outs in the inning, Collins reached base on an error. Nyen and Lake Forest cashed in on the error, as the junior singled to right-center to score Collins.  
 
It was the top of the lineup that provided another scoring opportunity for Lake Forest in the third inning. Kaia Mismash singled and stole her team-best 42nd base of the season to put herself in scoring position. The senior Collins then ripped a double down the left-field line to score Mismash and double the Lake Forest lead.
 
That would be all the offense Stiles needed, as the junior was in command and shut down Monmouth to secure the win.
 
Game 2: Lake Forest 6, Monmouth 1
The Foresters put together an all-around game in game two of the doubleheader, combining their strong hitting, base running, and pitching in the 6-1 victory.
 
Chevalier got the scoring started with her hustle on the basepaths in the second inning. After a leadoff double, Chevalier stole third base and came around to score on a throwing error.
 
In the fourth, the Foresters' cleanup hitter Nyen launched her fifth home run of the season to lead off the inning and give Lake Forest a 2-0 lead.
 
Lake Forest would add on another run in the fourth inning, then pushed across a run in the fifth and two more in the sixth inning to extend the Foresters' lead to 6-1.
 
Senior pitcher Hannah Smith (6-6) was in control in the circle for Lake Forest. Sunday marked her eighth complete game of the season, matching Stiles for the team lead on the season.
 
Smith matched her season high with eight strikeouts and allowed just one run on the day. The senior pounded the strike zone as 62 of her 89 pitches were strikes.
 
The Foresters will play Grinnell College in their first game of the double-elimination conference tournament at noon on Friday. Lake Forest defeated Grinnell in both meetings earlier this season, winning the pair of games by a combined score of 27-5.