APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University softball team fought back all through the nightcap Wednesday, but Lake Forest College hung on to complete a Midwest Conference doubleheader sweep at Whiting Field.
    Lake Forest won the second game 9-8 in eight innings after topping the Vikings 10-0 in five innings in the opener.
    In the nightcap, Janessa Gonzalez went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored for the Vikings. Jordan Wallin-Swanson went 3-for-3 with a double, and Kourtney Mercer was 2-for-4 for Lawrence (5-31, 1-13 MWC).
    The Vikings were down 4-0 before they got a chance to bat in the second game, but the Vikings chipped away at the advantage. Mikayla Jeneske drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the first, and Adrie Villa drove in another run in the second on a fielder's choice. The Vikings cut the lead to 4-3 in the third when Gonzalez scored on a double steal. 
    After Lake Forest scored in the top of the fifth, Villa's sacrifice fly scored Gillian Guerriero to cut the lead to 5-4. A three-run homer gave Lake Forest an 8-4 lead in the sixth, but Gonzalez singled and came home to score on Guerriero's sacrifice fly in the sixth.
    The Vikings were down by three headed to the bottom of the seventh, but Wallin-Swanson started the inning with a double off reliever Hannah Smith. The Vikings had runners at the corners after Villa walked, and Khayla Santiago squeezed home pinch-runner Laney Martens to cut the lead to 8-6. Mattigan Haller then walked, and Gonzalez delivered a two-out, two-run double to score Villa and Haller and tie the game. Gonzalez was thrown out trying to reach third to end the threat.
    Lake Forest scratched out a run in the top of the eighth, but the Vikings threatened in the bottom half of the inning. Jeneske and Guerriero singled to start the inning, and Mercer's bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Smith then got a popup and a flyout to end the game.
    Smith blew the save but picked up the win for Lake Forest. Lizzy Angemi allowed just one hit over the final two innings but took the loss.
    In the opener, Lake Forest (23-12-1, 10-4) hit three home runs in the first inning and led 7-0 from the outset. 
    The Vikings were limited to three hits against Brooke Challe, who picked up the win. Xiomara Rueda-Marshall pitched just one inning and took the loss.
    Lawrence wraps up its season Sunday when the Vikings travel to Beloit College for a league doubleheader.