May 15, 2010
Box Score
NCAA Softball Midwest Regional: Lewis 8, Tiffin 3 in PDF Format 
NCAA Softball Midwest Regional: Lewis 8, Northern Kentucky 2 in PDF Format
Ashland, Ohio - Saturday's NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Softball match-up between Lewis University and Northern Kentucky was the sixth showdown of the season featuring the two squads with four of the previous five games decided by two runs or less.
The Flyers, however, put all doubt aside and cruised to the 8-2 victory over the Norse at Ashland University's Brookside Park on Saturday (May 15) afternoon, following their 8-3 win over Tiffin earlier in the day.
With the win, Lewis (39-16) advances to the championship bracket and will take on host Ashland at 12 PM (EST) on Sunday afternoon. Northern Kentucky ends its season with a mark of 35-20.
"Our bats came alive today," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "After all of our missed opportunities yesterday, we took a little extra batting practice, and it paid dividends. It was great to see everyone contribute because we played some vintage Lewis softball today."
Saturday's win against Northern Kentucky marks the first time since 2001 that the Flyers have advanced to the championship bracket on the tournament's final day.
"If you told us (at the beginning of the season) that we'd win GLVC and advance this far, I would have gladly taken it," DiMatteo said. "We're one win away from 40 wins and that's always a huge goal."
Lewis freshmen Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) and Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) batted a combined 4-for-5 with four runs scored and a RBI to propel the Flyer offense against NKU. Hefler was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a pair of stolen bases, while Vucsko was 2-for-2 with a RBI and a run scored.
Lewis sophomore catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) and freshman designated player Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) each added two RBI in the win.
Lewis junior Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) earned the complete-game win against NKU, as she allowed two runs and five hits while striking out four batters to move to 11-5 on the season. NKU starter Emily Schwaeble (11-2) took the loss for the Norse, surrendering five runs and four hits, including four walks, in 2.2 innings of work.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Flyers used a pair of home runs from juniors Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) and junior first baseman Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) to earn the 8-3 win over Tiffin University.
Lewis starting pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) picked up the victory for the Flyers. In five innings of work, Habel (19-7) allowed three runs and seven hits. Tiffin`s Amber Young (8-6) was tagged with the loss as she surrendered three unearned runs and four hits in four innings of work.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, when Smith launched a three-run homer over the left field wall to give Lewis the 3-0 lead.
The Flyers extended their lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning, as Harmon launched her team-best 13th home run of the season, a 225-foot blast over the center field wall.
The Dragons (34-18) hacked into that lead in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore second baseman Lauren Mazzuca connected for a bases-loaded, two-run double, to narrow Lewis' advantage to 5-2. Tiffin junior first baseman Amanda Temple added a RBI single to bring the Dragons to within two runs at 5-3.
The Flyers, however, were able to add three unearned runs in the top of the sixth, highlighted by a two-run single by Healy to secure the victory.
Notes: Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South)'s home run against Tiffin was her 26th career blast, tying her for second in school history with former teammate Mallory Paine (2005-08).
Harmon now has 51 RBI for the season, breaking the single-season standard of 49, set by Mallory Paine in 2006.
Lewis' win over Tiffin snapped a five-game losing streak in the NCAA Regionals, dating back to a 4-3 (8 inn.) win over West Virginia Wesleyan on May 7, 2008.
Lewis is 6-0 this season when the Flyers hit two home runs or more in a contest.
Jayme Hefler broke the single-season record of 38 stolen bases, set by Robin Martz (2005) with two swipes against Northern Kentucky and now stands eighth overall in school history with 40 stolen bases.
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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