March 1, 2010
Holy Family Box Score
Lake Erie Box Score
Softball: Lewis 5, Holy Family 4 in PDF Format 
Softball: Lewis 3, Lake Erie 2 in PDF Format
Kissimmee, Fla. - Just three days into the softball season, Lewis University was faced with some adversity and the youthful Flyers rose to the occasion, as they claimed a pair of victories over both Holy Family (5-4) and Lake Erie (3-2) to extend their winning streak to four at the Rebel Spring Games on Tuesday (March 1) at the Osceola County Softball Complex.
Lewis started five underclassmen in the opener and seven in the nightcap.
"I told the girls that the bad news was that they're going to give me a heart attack and I have to check my pulse," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "They're handling the pressure very well for a young team. There was a lot of drama today and I'm very pleased with the way we handled ourselves in some critical situations."
With the victories, Lewis improves to 5-3 on the campaign, while Holy Family drops to 1-1 and Lake Erie falls to 0-4. The Flyers have now won five of their last six contests.
In the opener, Lewis jumped out to a 5-1 advantage over Holy Family after fourth innings. The Tigers, however, stormed back with three unanswered runs to cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh following a bases-loaded sacrifice fly that moved the winning run into scoring position.
Lewis starting pitcher Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) was up to the task as she fanned Holy Family's Bianca Robinson to end the game. Pickrum (2-1) earned the complete-game win for the Flyers, allowing four runs and scattering 10 hits, while striking out eight batters.
Lewis freshman center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West), who extended her hitting streak to five games, went 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run against Holy Family. Flyer catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) and right fielder Jessica Jennings (Morris, Ill./Morris) chipped in two base knocks apiece. Jennings added a RBI for good measure.
In the nightcap, Lake Erie touched Lewis sophomore pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) for a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first on a passed ball by freshman catcher Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) and a throwing error by senior shortstop Kara Harmatys (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport).
Lewis answered in the bottom half of the frame, as Hefler led off with a double and moved over to third base on a wild pitch by Lake Erie pitcher Pam Bykowski. Sophomore outfielder Katie Healy (Homewood, Ill./Marian Catholic) would plate Hefler from third base with a RBI infield single to cut Lake Erie's lead in half at 2-1.
Lewis would take the lead in the fourth inning, as both Munaco and freshman Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) would rope RBI doubles to put the Flyers ahead for good at 3-2.
Habel (2-1) earned the complete-game victory for the Flyers and did not allow an earned run for the second day in a row. In all, Habel scattered nine hits and struck out five batters.
Lewis continues Rebel Spring Games action on Wednesday morning, as the Flyers take on both Mt. Olive at 9 AM (EST) and Lynn University at 11 AM (EST).
A Catholic university sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis offers nearly 80 undergraduate majors and programs of study, accelerated degree completion options for working adults, various aviation programs and 22 graduate programs in nine fields. The 9th largest private, not-for-profit university in Illinois is being honored for the sixth consecutive year by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. For more information please visit www.lewisu.edu.
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