MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's softball team went pitch-for-pitch with defending Midwest Conference champion and preseason favorite Lake Forest, dropping tight decisions of 5-3 and 5-4 Monday night at Van Metre Family Softball Field.
 
The Rams (11-15 overall, 6-2 MWC) fell from the ranks of MWC unbeatens, although remain a solid third in the league race ahead of the Foresters (14-11 overall, 4-4 MWC) with eight games to go.
 
No. 9 hitter Addie Bowman delivered a key two-out, three-run double and then came around to score on a hit by Erin Puck that put Cornell ahead 4-3 in the second inning of Game 2. Lake Forest regained the lead at 5-4 in the top of the fifth, scoring on a throwing error and two-out single.
 
The Rams left two runners on base in the fifth and also threatened in the seventh when a Caitlin Babcock single brought the winning run to the plate with one out. The Foresters induced a lineout to shortstop and struck out the final batter to secure the sweep.
 
Cornell had seven players record a hit in the nightcap, which saw the Foresters take an early 3-0 lead.
 
In Game 1, the Foresters took advantage of four Cornell errors that led to three unearned runs against starting pitcher Daelynn Rhoades (7-5). Rhoades went the distance in the circle, allowing seven hits and striking out eight.
 
First baseman Zoie Harvey went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to pace Cornell's lineup. Harvey had an RBI groundout during a two-run fourth inning, when the Rams closed within 4-3.
 
Babcock and Claire Gugerty each added a single for the Rams, who were outhit 7-3 for the game.
 
Coming up – Cornell travels to play league co-leader Illinois College (13-10-1 overall, 6-0 MWC) at 1 p.m. Saturday in Jacksonville, Ill.