JANESVILLE, Wis. – Grinnell College's softball team dropped two games to Midwest Conference-leading Lake Forest College Saturday, leading the Pioneers into their most anticipated games of the season.
 
Grinnell will play a twin bill at Ripon College Sunday, and at least one win would put the Pioneers in the MWC Tournament for the first time since 2006. Grinnell enters the games at 10-6 in the league and 21-10 overall.
 
Lake Forest, 15-1 in the MWC and 27-9 overall, recorded wins of 4-1 and 9-4 over Grinnell Saturday.
 
Darice Wheeler '21 led the offensive charge in the opener, going 3-for-3 at the plate including her MWC-record 16th homer of the season. Flynn Johnson '21 added two hits as the Pioneers were only outhit 7-6 in the game.
 
After the Foresters went ahead 2-0 in the first inning, Wheeler cut the gap in half in the fourth with a solo shot to left. The Foresters added two runs in the fifth to secure the win. Melissa Anderson '18 was the pitcher of record for Grinnell, scattering seven hits.
 
In the second game, Grinnell got out to a 1-0 lead before the Foresters scored five runs in the second frame. Grinnell managed eight hits, including two by Emily Jordan '19.
 
In the first inning, Mya Davis '21 hit an RBI double to right. After the Foresters went up 9-1 by the fourth, Grinnell rallied in the bottom of the fourth as Leila Bishop-Parise '21 hit a two-run double to right. In the sixth, Kayla Morrissey '18 scored via an error.
 
Wheeler was the pitcher of record for Grinnell, working the first three innings.
 
The first pitch against Ripon on Sunday is at 1 p.m.