April 6, 2007

Game One Box Score

Game Two Box Score

ROLLA, Mo. - The No. 7 Lewis University softball team's program-record 20-game win streak was snapped on Friday, as the Flyers dropped a doubleheader to Missouri-Rolla. Lewis fell 9-1 (6) in the opener and 3-2 in the nightcap.

The Flyers slipped to 21-6 (10-2), losing for the first time since February 17. The Miners improved to 17-10 (7-5), becoming the first Great Lakes Valley Conference team to beat the Flyers this season.

A two-run, first-inning home run from Kelsey Musselman put the Miners ahead 2-0 in game two. Rolla added another run in the fifth when Kandi Weiberg, who doubled with one out, scored as the result of a Lewis throwing error.

Trailing 3-0 in the sixth, Lewis rallied and nearly tied the game.

Beth Shelus and Mallory Paine started the inning with a pair of walks, and Kelly Dianis brought them home with a double to left center. Kristy Vanek came up next and executed a sacrifice bunt to move Dianis to third.

Carla Musillo batted next and sent a fly ball to left field. Dianis tagged from third and scored easily with what should have been the tying run, but upon appeal, Dianis was ruled to have left third base prior to the catch and was called out.

The Flyers threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but Miners' pitcher Jen O'Hara kept Lewis off the board. She recorded a strikeout for the second out and then got some help from her defense for the final out.

With a full count and the runners going, Mallory Paine drove the ball toward the gap in deep right center. The hard-hit drive appeared destined for the wall, but Rolla centerfielder Emily Tucker, in a full sprint, reached up over her head and made a sensational grab to end the game.

Wallingford (6-3) earned the win in the circle, fanning 11 Flyers. Julie Wingerter (5-2) took the loss. After allowing the first-inning home run, Wingerter settled in and held the Miners to just three hits the rest of the way, striking out a total of seven batters.

O'Hara earned the save after working two innings of relief. It was her second appearance of the doubleheader, after shutting down the Flyers in the opener.

O'Hara (11-7) yielded just four hits and one run over six innings of work in game one. Her effort was backed with an abundance of run support from the Miners' offense.

The big blow came in the bottom of the second when, after a leadoff single and two walks, Wieberg blasted a grand slam to put Rolla up 4-0. The Miners added one more in the third and then scored four unearned runs in the sixth to reach the run-rule.

The Flyers scored their lone run in the fifth when Lisa Gartland singled in Carla Musillo, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning.

Courtney Lyons (8-3) suffered the loss in the circle for Lewis, despite striking out seven Miners.

The Flyers look to return to the win column on Saturday when they face Rockhurst for two games beginning at 11 am.