March 1, 2008

Box Score

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Down 5-2 in the fifth inning, the Lewis Flyers rallied back for a 6-5 extra-inning win over Nova Southeastern to deliver head coach George DiMatteo his 800th career victory, Saturday afternoon at the Rebel Spring Games.

The Flyers (4-6) won for a third straight game. Earlier in the day Lewis recorded a 2-0 win over West Virginia Wesleyan.

DiMatteo collected his 800th win in his 25th season as a head coach. He is only the 11th coach all-time to earn 800 wins in NCAA Division II softball.

DiMatteo's team battled back from 3-0 and 5-2 holes to earn the victory. Down 3-0 in the bottom of the third, Lewis got on the board with a two-RBI double off the bat of senior Carla Musillo. A lead-off walk to sophomore Brittany DiPietro followed by a bunt single by freshman Sarah Hurley set the stage for Musillo.

Nova Southeastern scored a single run in both the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-2 lead, but the Flyers answered right back with a three-run fifth to knot the game 5-5.

Again it was Musillo who came through with the big hit for Lewis, as she smacked her second two RBI double of the afternoon. Junior Lisa Gartland brought Musillo home later in the inning with a single to right center.

The game remained tied until the eighth when freshman Kayla Smith singled up the middle with two out to score pinch-runner Julie Wingerter with the game-winner.

Sophomore Jenna Howard (1-3) earned the win after pitching three innings of scoreless relief. Wingerter struck out seven batters through five innings of work as the game's starter.

Junior Courtney Lyons (3-2) pitched the Flyers to victory earlier in the day against West Virginia Wesleyan. She gave up just four hits and struck out seven during the complete-game shutout effort.

Lewis scored its two runs with single tallies in the third and the seventh innings. Junior Michelle Yudys kick-started the rally in the third with a lead-off single. Freshman Brittany Patete pinch-ran for her and later scored after a sac bunt by junior Jessica Beck and an RBI-single by senior Mallory Paine, who went 2-for-3 in the game.

A lead-off double by Gartland started things in the Flyers' seventh. Lyons brought Gartland home when she grounded out to shortstop.

The Flyers resume action on Sunday, playing Minnesota state Moorhead at 1 p.m. and Wilmington at 5 p.m.