April 24, 2010

GM 1 Box Score
GM 2 Box Score

Softball: Bellarmine 6, No. 15 Lewis 1 (GM 1) in PDF Format
Softball: No. 15 Lewis 10, Bellarmine 9 (8 inn.) in PDF Format

Romeoville, Ill. - It was a tale of two different teams at the plate on Saturday (Apr. 24) afternoon, as No. 15 Lewis managed just six hits in a 6-1 loss in the opening game against Bellarmine, but exploded for 15 hits in the nightcap and won 10-9 on a walk-off single by sophomore catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) to salvage the Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader split.

"I knew we were better hitters than what we displayed in the first game," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "Hitting is contagious, and when everyone started hitting, our confidence really was sky high."

In game two, junior first baseman Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central) broke the single-season record for home runs with her 11th and 12th blast of the season. Former Flyer catcher Mallory Paine owned the previous record of 10, set in 2008. For the game, Harmon went 2-for-4 with five RBI and two runs scored.

"That's very exciting for Stephanie," DiMatteo said. "She's not only a great home run hitter, but she can hit for average as well. I'm very happy for her."

With the split, Lewis moves to 31-11 overall and 18-6 in GLVC play, while the visiting Knights are now 21-31 on the season and 11-15 in conference action.

Harmon's blasts in game two helped propel Lewis to a 9-1 lead in the second inning, as she went yard in each of her first two at-bats with a three-run homer and a two-run homer. Junior second baseman Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) also joined in the fun with a three-run homer of her own.

Bellarmine, however, was the beneficiary of the long ball as well in the nightcap, as they scored eight unanswered runs on four homers. Bellarmine catcher Jordan Basham had two of those home runs, including the game-tying blast in the top of the seventh inning to send the game into extra frames.

Freshman right fielder Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) reached base to open the eighth inning on a fielding error by BU second baseman Angel Zimmerman. Hanford moved over to second base on a one-out sacrifice bunt by freshman center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West). Giancarlo stepped to the plate and laced a single up the middle to score Hanford from second for the winning run.

Freshmen Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) and Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) each collected three hits in game two. Vucsko went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI, while Munaco went 3-for-4 with a run scored. Hefler went 2-for-3 and a run scored.

Sophomore Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) earned the victory for the Flyers in relief, as she allowed three runs and six hits in 5.1 innings of work to improve to 14-5. Bellarmine reliever Kristin Gramling was the losing pitcher for the Knights, as she surrendered the game winning run in the eighth inning.

Habel, however, was not as lucky in the opener, as she gave up three runs, one earned, and eight hits while striking out five batters in a losing effort. Murdoch provided the crushing blow for the Knights, as she took Lewis reliever Allison Hernandez (Berwyn, Ill./Trinity/Triton) deep for a three-run homer in the seventh inning.

Lewis sophomore pitcher Katie Healy (Homewood, Ill./Marian Catholic) and Hanford each had two hits in the opening contest.

Lewis returns to action on Sunday (Apr. 25), as the Flyers welcome Northern Kentucky for a 12 PM (CST) doubleheader at the Lewis softball field.

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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