May 9, 2008

Box Score

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - An exciting and successful season came to close on Friday, as the Lewis Flyers were eliminated from the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Tournament. The Flyers suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Ferris State in an exhausting 15-inning marathon and then fell 10-7 to Indianapolis.

Against Ferris State, junior pitcher Courtney Lyons (20-6) locked horns with Bulldogs' ace Sarah Mueller (15-6) for 14-plus innings of scoreless softball. Lyons did not allow a hit until the eighth inning, while Mueller kept the Flyers hitless from the fourth until a bunt single by junior Jessica Beck in the top of the 14th.

In the bottom of the 15th Ferris State won the game with an unearned run. The Bulldogs took advantage of two fielding errors and two walks to score the game-winner.

Lewis fell behind Indianapolis 2-0 after one and a half innings but battled back with a two-run second. Freshman Stephanie Trapp belted a double to the left center gap to bring in Lewis' first run, and the Flyers later added another on a passed ball.

Indy responded with a four-run fourth to re-take the lead, but Lewis fired back again. The Flyers scored three times in the bottom of the fifth. A dropped fly off the bat of junior Kelly Dianis resulted in two Lewis runs, and senior Carla Musillo brought home another tally with a RBI single later in the inning.

The Greyhounds answered right back with two in the sixth and one in the seventh, seemingly putting the game away, but Lewis attempted one last comeback in the bottom of the seventh.

A two-run homer by Dianis with nobody out started the rally. A walk to Trapp followed by a two-out single by freshman Diana Pickrum brought the tying run to the plate, but Indianapolis held on for the win.

The Flyers finished the season 38-18, finishing first in the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season standings for a second straight season. Lewis was ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation and advanced to regional play for a third straight season, marking the first time in program history in which the team qualified for three straight regional tournaments.