March 30, 2010
GM 1 Box Score
GM 2 Box Score
Softball: Lewis 3, UIS 1 in PDF Format 
Softball: Lewis 8, UIS 5 (13 inn.) in PDF Format
Springfield, Ill. - After playing for nearly five hours and 20 innings on the road in a twinbill sweep of Missouri S&T on Monday, the Lewis University softball team got right back on the bus, drove to the state capital to earn the 3-1, 8-5 (13 inn.) Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of Illinois-Springfield at UIS' Field #4 on Tuesday (March 30) evening.
"We obviously had a long day yesterday and we had to turn around and do it again against a very good GLVC team," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "Today was a true, collective team effort, because everyone contributed to our wins."
Freshman Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) performed admirably both at the plate and even in the circle for the Flyers on Monday. Hanford went 3-for-7 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored, while tossing four innings of scoreless relief in the nightcap to earn her first collegiate victory.
With the sweep, Lewis improves to 17-5 overall and 7-1 in GLVC play, while the host Prairie Stars drop to 4-14 on the season and 1-7 in conference action.
In the opener, the Flyers took a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, as freshman designated player Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) tacked on a pair of insurance runs with a two-run single to secure the win for Lewis.
Lewis starting pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) scattered eight hits and struck out six batters to earned the complete-game victory for the Flyers. Habel is now 7-1 on the season. UIS pitcher Brianne Moeller (2-4) took the loss for the Prairie Stars, allowing three unearned runs and five hits in seven innings of work.
In the nightcap, freshman infielder Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) led the Flyers offensively as she went 3-for-6 with three runs scored. Hanford went 2-for-5 with two RBI including a solo homer, while junior first baseman Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) was 2-for-7, including a two-run homer in the first inning. Junior right fielder Jessica Jennings (Morris, Ill./Morris) went 2-for-6 with a RBI.
Lewis jumped out to an early 5-2 lead in the fifth inning, before the Prairie Stars rallied for three unanswered runs, culminating with the game-tying sacrifice fly by Jaylyn Jones in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Habel, who came in relief of Hanford.
The game would remain tied at five for the next five innings before freshman Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) led off the 13th with a single and moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt by senior Lexie Vernon (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East).
Junior second baseman Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) roped a single to left field that scored Hefler, giving the Flyers the 6-5 lead. UIS left fielder Aubrey Watson attempted to throw out Hefler at home, but her throw sailed wide of the plate, allowing Smith to move to third on the play.
Lewis would tack on two more runs with a RBI triple by sophomore third baseman Traci Freitag (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and a RBI single from Hanford to secure the 8-5 win for the Flyers.
UIS pitcher Tina Buck took the loss for the Prairie Stars, as she tossed 12.1 innings and allowed eight runs, seven earned, and 12 hits while fanning six batters.
Lewis returns to action on Saturday (Apr. 3) afternoon, as the Flyers head to Indiana to square off with Indianapolis for a 12 PM doubleheader.
A Catholic university sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis offers more than 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 ninth 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. Please visit www.lewisu.edu for more information.
##LEWIS##
