EAST PEORIA, Ill. – Lewis' softball team extended its season rallying for a 6-3 win over Lindenwood in an elimination game on the first day of the GLVC Softball Tournament on Thursday at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill. The Flyers, seeded seventh, dropped their opener to second seeded McKendree 1-0 earlier in the afternoon.

Lewis (25-17) gave up single runs in each of the first three innings as it trailed 3-0 heading into the home half of the fifth. The Flyers sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth scoring all six of their runs on four hits and two errors by the Lions (23-15-1). Jessica Lofthouse (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) drove in the first two runs with a triple to right center scoring Gabbi Nilles and Cierra Taylor (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew).

Kristin Kavalauskas (Oak Forest, Ill./Tinley Park) tied the game with a single up the middle. Sara Serena (Kankakee, Ill./Kankakee) drove in Ella Jacobson (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln-Way East), running for Kavalauskas, with a double to give Lewis a 4-3 lead. Serena advanced to third on the throw home. Katie David (Mapleton, Ill./Illini Bluffs) put the finishing touch on the inning hitting a two-run homer to right center.

David set down six of the final seven hitters she faced allowing just a lead-off walk in the seventh to pick up the win and improve to 14-8 on the season. She allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.

The Flyers recorded nine hits in the contest with Lofthouse, Kavalauskas and David recording two hits apiece.

In the first game on Thursday, McKendree scored the lone run of the game on a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning off the bat of Abby Behlman.

Lewis got its lone hit of the contest in the top of the seventh when Serena singled with one out.

After a strikeout, Olivia Magaldi (Mishawka, Ind./Penn) reached on a throwing error and advanced to second, sending Serena to third base with two outs. However, a third strikeout of the inning ended the game with two runners in scoring position.

Elle Quaethem (11-6) earned the win for the Bearcats, allowing one hit and no runs in 6.1 innings, striking out eight, while Miranda Gajewski picked up her third save in picking up the final two outs. David (13-8) took the loss, allowing five hits and one earned run in six innings, striking out eight.

The Flyers return to the diamond on Thursday evening taking on the loser of the 11 a.m. game between Indianapolis and Rockhurst at 5 p.m. at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Ill.