Kissimmee, Fla. - The Lewis University softball team was provided with its first real litmus test of the season on Sunday (March 6) morning, as the No. 24 Flyers met both No. 20 Ashland and No. 30 Saginaw Valley State at the Rebel Games.

The Flyers passed the first test with the 2-1 win over the Eagles, but the final exam against Saginaw Valley State proved difficult, as the Cardinals claimed the 8-5 win.

"I feel pretty good about today because it's tough to play two of the top teams in the region, back-to-back," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "We didn't play our best against Saginaw, but I thought our game against Ashland was close to perfect."

With the split, Lewis is now 9-4, while Ashland is 0-1 and Saginaw Valley State is 2-2.

In the opener against Ashland, runs were at a premium as the game was scoreless after six innings, before the Flyers drew first blood.

Junior catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) led off the inning with a single and was replaced for a pinch runner by junior Alicia McKendry (Minooka, Ill./Minooka).

Flyer pinch hitter Jessica Rourke (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) moved McKendry over to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Lewis pinch hitter Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) then plated McKendry with a RBI double to left-center field to give the Flyers the 1-0 lead.

Following a Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard South) strikeout, junior third baseman Traci Freitag (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) drew a walk. Freitag and Hanford would each move over 60 feet, following a wild pitch from Ashland All-American pitcher Emlyn Knerem (0-1).

Hanford would score on an infield single by sophomore center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) to extend Lewis' lead to 2-0.

Ashland would score an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh and had runners on first and third with two outs. Lewis winning pitcher Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest), however, induced Ashland shortstop Brianna Woody into a game-ending flyout to Hefler.

Pickrum (3-0) earned the complete-game win, allowing one unearned run with seven hits, while striking out three batters.

Lewis junior Katie Healy (Homewood, Ill./Marian Catholic) went 2-for-4 at the dish to lead the Flyers offensively.

In the nightcap, Lewis fell behind early to the Cardinals, 3-0. The Flyers, however, responded with a four-run third inning to take a 4-3 lead. With one out, Lewis loaded the bases.

Flyer senior first baseman Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) cut SVSU's lead to 3-1 with a RBI fielders choice. Healy would score on a passed ball, and the Flyers would tie the game at three on a RBI single by Smith. On Smith's single, the Flyers took the 4-3 lead on an error by Cardinals center fielder Jessica McKeith.

Saginaw Valley, however, saw Lewis' four unanswered runs and raised them five more in the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead for good.

Lewis junior pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) took the loss for the Flyers. Habel (2-1) surrendered eight runs, six earned, 11 hits and struck out one batter.

Hefler topped the Flyers offensively, as she went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.

Lewis ends the Rebel Games on Monday (March 7), as the Flyers battle both California (PA) at 9 a.m. (EST) and Ferris State at 11 a.m. (EST).

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.