April 3, 2004

Game 1 Box Score Game 2 Box Score

ROMEOVILLE, Ill.-Perfect. Lewis University senior Mary Jaszczak was exactly that as she hurled the first perfect game of her collegiate career to cap a doubleheader sweep of No. 20 Southern Illinois Edwardsville.

Jaszczak (7-3), whose only previous perfect game came as a high school freshman, stymied the SIUE hitters with pinpoint precision and a devastating changeup. She struck out six and went to a three-ball count just twice as she picked up the 2-0 victory. Jaszczak retired Jenny Esker, the 2003 NCAA Division II Player of the Year, on a line-shot grounder to third to end the game.

"I knew I had a no-hitter, but I had no idea that I had a perfect game," said Jaszczak.

"I can't remember a time since I've been here that we had a pitcher throw a perfect game," said Lewis head coach of 20 years George DiMatteo.

Both Flyer runs were a result of walks. SIUE pitcher Missy Koenig held Lewis (23-9, 4-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference) to four hits, but surrendered six walks.

Lewis picked up a run in the first inning and another in the fifth in the win. Robin Martz led off the game with a walk in the bottom of the first inning and was promptly advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. She moved to third on a ground out and scored two batters later on a ground ball back to Koenig. Crystal Bowen delivered the two-out RBI with a grounder that Koenig got a glove on, but couldn't handle cleanly.

A walk to Amy Yusko provided an insurance run in the fifth. Yusko wound up on second base with two outs and was pinch-run for by Kim Harris. Bowen came up with the clutch hit once again as she blooped a single into right field that allowed Harris to race in from second base.

Overshadowed in the heroics of game 2, senior Carrie Paradzinski began the doubleheader with a four-hit, 3-0 shutout in game 1. Paradzinski struck out four and allowed just one runner past second base.

Martz put the Flyers on the scoreboard in the first inning when she led off the game with a triple to right center field. With two outs, she scampered home on a wild pitch for the 1-0 Lewis lead.

SIUE (19-11, 4-2 GLVC) loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth, but Paradzinski got Shannon Evans to fly out to left field to end the threat.

The Flyers turned the momentum and scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Amy Roberts smoked a one-out double off the left center field fence and scored two batters later on a two-out single by Kristy Vanek. Kalynn Russell reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and Vanek scored from second as a result of the miscue to cap Lewis' scoring.

The sweep was Lewis' first over SIUE since the 2001 season. It also gives Lewis a pair of crucial conference and Great Lakes Region victories as the team prepares its case for the NCAA postseason.

The Flyers will return to action Sunday afternoon when they host Missouri-St. Louis in a GLVC doubleheader at noon.