April 15, 2004

Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

KENOSHA, Wis.-The Lewis University softball team showed its mettle in a tough doubleheader with regional rival Wisconsin-Parkside. The Flyers won a 10-inning affair in the twilight and nearly pulled off a four-run comeback Thursday.

Lewis (30-10) dropped game one 4-3 and then won the nightcap 3-2 in 10 innings. The victory in game 2 gave the Flyers their seventh 30-win season in the past eight years.

Wisconsin-Parkside's Emma Strohbusch lined a two-run home run in the first inning of game 1 to give the Rangers (22-15) a quick 2-0 lead. UWP then added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth inning. After a leadoff walk, Kristen Brestan laid down a sacrifice bunt that Lewis first baseman Stacy Davis fielded cleanly, but her throw sailed past first base and skipped past right fielder Crystal Bowen who was backing up the play. The two errors allowed the leadoff hitter to score and Brestan to race around to third base. Brestan then scored two batters later on a triple by Kim Dean.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the top of the seventh, the Flyers made a late surge. Davis led off the inning with a walk and was pinch run for by Missy Kraiss. Two batters later, Kraiss was on second and the Flyers were down to their final out. Robin Martz then laced a single into center field to crack to scoring column. Sarah Straughn continued the rally with a pinch hit, two-run home run that drew the Flyers within one run. However, Lewis couldn't draw even as Amy Yusko grounded out to end the game.

Mary Jaszczak took the complete-game loss. She worked six innings giving up eight hits and four runs, two earned.

The Flyers took the momentum built from the end of game 1 and instantly infused it to the start of game 2. Martz led off the game with a single up the middle and scored when Kristy Vanek launched a two-out home run over the left center field fence.

Wisconsin-Parkside picked up a run in the third inning and another in the sixth to tie the game 2-2.

The Flyers won the game in the 10th inning on a Wisconsin-Parkside miscue. Crystal Bowen, who led off the inning with a double to right center field, scored when UWP's catcher attempted to pick Bowen off second base. Jamie Bliemeister's errant throw got past the center fielder who was covering the bag and Bowen scored easily.

Kristen Porzel took the circle in game 2 and worked into the eighth inning. She threw seven innings, holding UWP to four hits and two runs. Jaszczak (11-4) picked up the win in relief after pitching three scoreless innings.

The loss in the opener snapped the Flyers' 14-game winning streak. However, Martz was able to extend her hitting streak to 22 straight games.

Lewis will host a pair of conference doubleheaders this weekend when it plays Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday and Southern Indiana on Sunday.