April 10, 2010
GM 1 Box Score
GM 2 Box Score
Maryville Photo Gallery
Softball: No. 20 Lewis 4, Maryville 0 (GM 1) 
Softball: No. 20 Lewis 4, Maryville 0 (GM 2)
Romeoville, Ill. - The No. 20 Lewis University softball team rode the arms of pitchers Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) and Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) on Saturday (Apr. 10) afternoon, as they combined to hold Maryville to a total of six base hits to push the host Flyers to the 4-0, 4-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep of the Saints at Lewis Softball Field.
"Both Pick and Karissa did a great job today," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "It's tough to pitch shutouts and they both kept Maryville off balance up there today. They each have different killer out pitches and they were both very effective.
"All in all, everyone did their job today," DiMatteo continued. "We'll enjoy the win tonight and get ready for UMSL on Sunday."
Pickrum (8-2) earned her third complete-game shutout of the season in the opener, allowing just two hits while striking out four batters. Habel (8-2) retired the first 12 batters that she faced and surrendered just four hits against the Maryville offense
With the sweep, Lewis improves its record to 20-6 overall and 10-2 in GLVC action, while the visiting Saints drop to 12-25 on the campaign and 3-15 in conference play.
Lewis got on the board right away in the opener, as freshman Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) led off the game with a single up the middle and stole second base. Sophomore designated player Katie Healy (Homewood, Ill./Marian Catholic) moved her over to third with a sacrifice bunt.
Freshman shortstop Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) sent a grounder to Maryville second baseman Kristen Bray. Bray attempted to throw Hefler out at the plate, but the Glenbard West graduate beat the toss for the Flyers' first run of the game.
In the second inning, Lewis took advantage of defensive mistakes by the Saints, as Maryville committed two throwing errors and a passed ball that led to a pair of runs for the Flyers.
Hefler (2-for-2, 2 runs) got the ball rolling again in the fifth inning, as she led off with a single and motored to third base on another sacrifice bunt by Healy. Vucsko added her second RBI of the afternoon with a bunt single to plate Hefler, putting the Flyers ahead, 4-0.
Lewis freshman right fielder Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) added a pair of hits in the opener.
Maryville starter Caitlin McClintock (11-19) took the complete-game loss for the Saints in game one, allowing four runs, three earned, and seven hits while striking out five batters.
The nightcap was a scoreless affair until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Flyers loaded the bases with no outs. Lewis scored their first run of the game when pinch runner Alicia McKendry (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) scored on a wild pitch by reliever Toni Ehmen. The Flyers would tack two more runs on a RBI single from senior shortstop Kara Harmatys (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) and a bases-loaded walk to Vucsko to push Lewis ahead, 3-0.
Healy went 3-for-3 in game two, including an insurance adding RBI squeeze bunt in the sixth inning to lead the Flyers. Freshman catcher Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) added a pair of hits for Lewis in the nightcap.
Ehmen (0-1) took the loss in relief for Maryville, scattering seven hits and allowing three runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings of work.
Lewis returns to action on Sunday (April 11), as they host Missouri-St. Louis 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.
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