May 2, 2004

Championship Box Score Game 1

Championship Box Score Game 2

EAST PEORIA, Ill.-After playing through two suspended games and enduring several weather delays over the course of the weekend, one would expect that the Lewis University softball team would have grown to despise the Eastside Center, home of the 2004 Great Lakes Valley Conference softball tournament.

However, instead of leaving with bitter feelings, the complex will hold a dear spot in the Flyers' hearts as it was the site of the program's eighth conference championship. Lewis recorded a 6-2 victory over fifth-ranked Northern Kentucky (51-5) to claim Lewis' third title in the last six years and its first since 2001.

"This win was very satisfying," said Lewis head coach George DiMatteo. "The team never gave up as it hasn't all season long, and they did it against a team that has been ranked in the top 10 almost all year."

The top-seeded Norse pushed Lewis (44-11) to the limit, forcing a winner-take-all finale after beating Lewis 1-0 in 15 innings in the first tournament championship game. Because Lewis was unbeaten, NKU had to defeat the Flyers twice to claim the conference crown.

In the first title game, Lewis' Mary Jaszczak (18-5) and NKU's Krystal Lewallen performed an encore of their eight-inning duel from earlier in the day. Jaszczak registered the win in the first meeting, but it would be Lewallen who claimed the victory the second time around. Both pitchers went the distance and runs were once again at a premium. NKU eventually came away with the victory in the bottom of the 15th when Jaszczak plunked Becky Napier in the leg with the bases loaded. The hit-by-pitch forced in the game's only run and the tournament's deciding game.

Jaszcak struck out five and scattered 11 hits in 14 1/3 innings; Lewallen pitched 15 innings and gave up six hits, while striking out nine.

"I knew going into that game that it would be low scoring, but I never expected 1-0 in 15 innings," said DiMatteo. "It was a great game by both teams. I felt bad that we lost, but also took solace in the fact we had another game."

Northern Kentucky extended its momentum from game one into the first inning of game two. The Norse didn't hit the ball out of the infield, but three hits and a fielder's choice resulted in a 1-0 lead after one inning.

"They had chances to score a couple more runs that inning, but we were able to shut them down and escape with just the one run," said DiMatteo. "Holding them to just one run was huge, and helped us from getting down when we very easily could have folded."

Lewis mounted its comeback with two outs and no one on in the top of the third inning. Sophomore Robin Martz, who had her NCAA II record 35-game hitting streak ended in the 15-inning game, began the rally with a base hit into center field. Elaina Ktistou then followed with one of her three hits in the game, placing runners on first and second. Crystal Bowen walked to load the bases and set the stage for GLVC Freshman of the Year Kristy Vanek. Vanek rifled a two-run single into left field to give Lewis a lead it would not relinquish. Amy Roberts then tacked on two more runs when her two-RBI single pushed Lewis' lead to 4-1.

Staked with a three-run lead, Kristen Porzel (11-1) stymied the NKU hitters the rest of the game. She allowed a run in the sixth inning that cut the lead to 4-2, but Lewis responded with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. In the seventh, Amy Yusko had a two-out RBI single, and Stacy Davis plated a run when she reached on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch. Porzel then retired the side in order in the bottom of the seventh, clinching the GLVC Championship. She worked seven innings, giving up six hits and two runs.

"There are a lot of similarities between this year's team and the 2001 team, the last team that won a conference championship," said DiMatteo. "The 2001 team had more individual talent, but this year's group plays much better as a team.

"We weren't necessarily the most talented team in this tournament, but it shows that individual talent isn't enough at times. Our motto of believing in ourselves and each other has taken this team to another level. Assistant coach Joan Gorski and I are very proud of this group."

The title gives Lewis an automatic berth in the Great Lakes Region tournament that is scheduled for May 6-9. Lewis is expected to be the No. 2 seed in the tournament and will travel to host and No. 1 seed Northern Kentucky.

Other notes: Martz' hitting streak ran from March 20-May 2. Ironically, it began in a regular-season doubleheader in Highland Heights, Ky. against Northern Kentucky. She batted .480 (61-for-127), scored 33 runs, and drove in 13 during the streak. In that span, she struck out just twice in 127 at-bats. Martz' streak tied Kerstein McVicker of Hampton University (Va.) for the NCAA Division II record. McVicker set her record from March 8-April 19, 1991.