ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Elmhurst softball team opened the 2015 season by sweeping a doubleheader from Lake Forest College with a pair of 6-5 walk-off victories.
 
ELMHURST 6, LAKE FOREST 5  (Game One) - After digging themselves an early 5-0 hole in the first inning, the Bluejays scored six unanswered runs, including four in the bottom of the seventh, to score a 6-5 walk-off victory.
 
Lake Forest struck for five runs in the opening frame. After back-to-back walks to start the inning, Alex Hemmer delivered a two-run double to put Lake Forest on the board. An RBI single from Kaleigh Ambrose and a two-run single from Audrey Djukic put the Forresters in front 5-0 as Elmhurst starter Tiffany Potthast needed over 40 pitches to get through the inning, allowing four hits and three walks.
 
Potthast settled down after the slow start, allowing just two hits over the next four innings. Elmhurst's bats came to life over the final three innings of play. Elmhurst jumped on the on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. Brianna Thompson led off the frame with a single and Mikayla Melone launched a two-run home run into the left field stands to cut Lake Forest's lead down to three.
 
The Bluejays brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the sixth but came up empty.  With two on and one out in the bottom of the seventh, Ele Walter hit a grounder to second. Lake Forest's Vasi Panos attempted to tag Bri Getzloff as she ran to second, but Getzloff avoided the tag and Walter beat the throw to first to load the bases. Potthast reentered the game to bat and lined a single off the glove of first baseman Sally Snarski allowing Melone to score from third. A bases loaded groundout from Bella Masini drove in a run and moved the tying and winning runs to third and second base, respectively. Alyssa Jasinski roped a low line drive off the edge of the glove of Ambrose at third. Potthast scored from third to tie the game and Walter beat the throw home to give the Bluejays the 6-5 walk-off victory.
 
Melone and Jasinski drove in two runs apiece in the win while Masini collected two hits and drove in a run.
 
Potthast took a no-decision in the win, allowing six hits and five runs in five innings of work. She walked five and struck out two. Stephanie Sturino earned her first collegiate victory in relief. Sturino worked two scoreless innings, allowing just two walks while striking out one.
 
Jessi Werner suffered her first loss of the season for Lake Forest, surrendering nine hits and six runs in 6.2 innings of work. She walked two and fanned one.

ELMHURST 6, LAKE FOREST 5  (Game Two) - Elmhurst finished the doubleheader sweep of Lake Forest with an identical 6-5 walk-off victory in game two.
 
Lake Forest plated a quick run in the top of the first, but the Bluejays answered back with three runs in the bottom of the frame.  After an error and a single from Potthast put two runners on for the Bluejays, Masini roped a triple to left field to put Elmhurst in front 2-1. A sacrifice fly from Katie Boals gave the Bluejays a 3-1 lead after one inning.
 
Lake Forest sliced the lead down to one in the third on a run-scoring single from Panos. The Bluejays responded immediately in the bottom of the third. With two outs and the bases empty, Masini singled to right. Jasinski followed by roping a triple to left field to drive in Masini. Jasinski then scored on Boals run-scoring single up the middle, giving the Bluejays a 5-2 lead after three innings.

The Forresters plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to make it a one-run contet. RBI singles from Sally Snarski and Kristina Rosenbaum brought the Forresters to within one. Lake Forest had the bases loaded by Sturino fanned Whitney Liederman to end the threat.  
 
Lake Forest evened the score at five on an Alex Hemmer solo blast early in the sixth inning.  The Forresters  had the bases loaded with just one out in the fifth put Stefanie Sanidas induced Sydney Gardner to pop out to short and then struck out Liederman to end the inning.
 

Lake Forest threatened again in the seventh. After a single and double put runners on second and third with no outs, Sturino worked out of the jam, getting Rosenbaum to ground out to first and then fanning Leiderman. After a walk loaded the bases, Sturino struck out Hemmer swinging to end the inning.
 
The Bluejays scored the game-winner in the bottom of the inning. Walter legged out an infield single with one out. After a sacrifice bunt moved Walter to second, Masini was intentionally walked. Jasinski delivered the game-winning hit by blooping a single between the second baseman and the rightfielder, allowing Walter to score the game-winning run.
 
Masini finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBI while Jasinski added a pair of hits and drove in two. Boals plated two runs for the Bluejays while Walter scored twice  in the victory.
 
Sturino earned her second straight win in relief, pitching the final 1.2 innings and allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out two.
 
Jenny McTague took the loss for the Forresters, allowing nine hits and four earned runs while walking two and striking out three.
 
Elmhurst kicks off its 12-game Florida road trip on Saturday, March 21.