March 5, 2007

Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Mallory Paine (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North)'s two-out, two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Lewis Flyers to a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Central Missouri State Monday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games. The Flyers also secured a 4-1 win over West Virginia Wesleyan earlier in the day.

Against Central Missouri State, the Flyers trailed 2-0 entering the seventh inning. Kara Harmatys led off by belting a double over the reach of the Central Missouri left fielder. She then advanced to third on a groundout by Michelle Yudys. Following a walk to Christina Willis in the next at-bat, Lisa Gartland brought Harmatys home with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Beth Shelus followed with a single to center, giving the Flyers runners on first and second with two outs. Paine worked the count to 3-1 before connecting for the game-winning hit. With the runners going, Paine ripped a shot into the gap in right-center. Willis scored uncontested, and Shelus slid in safely as the throw home sailed up the third base line.

The Flyers had been held to only two hits prior to the seventh inning.

Jenna Howard (3-0) took the win for Lewis. The freshman starter worked the entire game and retired seven straight over the final two and one-third innings.

Central Missouri scored its runs with single tallies in each the fourth and fifth inning. Melissa Palmer's solo home run put the Jennies up 1-0 in the fourth, and back-to-back doubles by Rachel Adams and Katie Bauer in the fifth inning with two outs resulted in another run.

In the win over West Virginia Wesleyan, Willis put Lewis up early with a two-RBI double in the top of the second inning.

The Flyers added two more runs in the seventh, when Shelus blasted a double that scored two. She ended up being thrown out at third looking for the triple, but both runners had scored ahead of the putout.

West Virginia Wesleyan's lone run came in the bottom half of the seventh after a pair of lead-off walks and a single to left.

Courtney Lyons (2-2) picked up the win for Lewis after working six innings and allowing only three hits. Julie Wingerter came on in relief to face the final four batters, earning a save for her effort.

Shelus collected three hits for the day, and she stole five bases. Willis, Harmatys and Paine each had two hits.

Lewis (7-4), now 6-0 on the Florida trip, plays again on Wednesday against Northern State and South Dakota.