March 27, 2004

Box Score

East Peoria, Ill. - When the Lewis softball team beat Ashland 5-1, the Flyers defeated an All-America first-team pitcher for the second time this season.

Lewis (17-9) bested Ashland's Josie Nelson (6-6), a senior with 1,100 career strikeouts entering the 2004 season. The Flyers struck out just once against the AU ace and rapped out 10 hits.

Ashland struck in the top of the first inning with an unearned run, but Lewis answered with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman Christina Willis tapped a bases-loaded, two-out single to the pitcher that evened the score at 1-1.

The Flyers made their big move in the fifth inning when they touched Nelson for four runs. Willis led off the inning with a slap single to third and scored two batters later when sophomore Kalynn Russell lined a single to left. The leftfielder misplayed Russell's hit, allowing her to scoot into second base, and then her attempted throw into second sailed wide of its target giving Russell a free pass to third. Fellow sophomore Amy Yusko delivered an RBI single, while Kristy Vanek had an RBI groundout and Crystal Bowen ripped an RBI single to left to complete the scoring in the inning.

While the Flyer offense was exploding, senior pitcher Carrie Paradzinski (7-5) was diffusing the Ashland offense. Paradzinski went the distance surrendering just one unearned run, striking out six and holding AU to three hits.

Lewis will complete its play in the Great Lakes Region Showdown with a game against 2003 Great Lakes Region champion Wayne State. Game time is 1 p.m.