Tournament Notes

Romeoville, Ill. - Following their second-straight Great Lakes Valley Conference softball championship, the Lewis University softball team has earned the automatic berth to the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament, hosted by Grand Valley State.

The No. 22 Flyers (34-12) square off with No. 18 and top-seeded Tiffin at 12 p.m. (EST) at the GVSU Softball Field on Friday (May 13) afternoon. Lewis will play against either Quincy or the host Lakers on Saturday (May 14).

Tournament Tested: This is the sixth-straight year and 12th time overall that Lewis has advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament.

Moving On?: The last time Lewis won the regional tournament was in 2001, when they advanced to the College World Series Championship game.

Tiffin - The Last Time: Lewis juniors Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) (2-run) and Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) (3-run) each connected for home runs against Tiffin, as the Flyers claimed the 8-3 win over the Dragons in the NCAA Midwest Regional Tournament on May 15, 2010.

Grand Valley State - The Last Time: Lewis, led by a two-run double by senior left fielder Carla Musillo (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North), claimed the 2-1 win over the Lakers on March 6, 2008.

Quincy - The Last Time: Lewis senior pitcher Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) tossed her 10th complete-game shutout of the season as the Flyers beat Quincy, 1-0, to claim the 2011 Great Lakes Valley Conference championship on May 8, 2011.

Home Run Queen: Harmon set the Flyer school-record for career home runs with her 29th round-tripper against UMSL on April 9th. Entering this weekend, Harmon has 34 total home runs.

May Day: Junior catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) has excelled during the month of May during her career, as she is batting .500 (29-for-58) with 18 RBI. During last weekend's GLVC Tournament, Giancarlo was 11-for-15 (.733) with nine RBI.

Good Eye: Harmon has been walked 82 times during her career, which is a school-record.

Good Eye (Part Deux): Smith has fanned just three times this season in 115 at-bats, which is the best in the GLVC and 10th overall in the nation.

Speed Demon: Sophomore center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) needs four more stolen bases to break her own single-season record of 40 swipes set last season as a freshman. Hefler, however, has not recorded a stolen base in her last 12 games and has been thrown out in her last three attempts.  

Small Ball: Lewis has hit 309 singles this season, which accounts for 81.3% of the Flyers' base-hits.

Ouch: Sophomore shortstop Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) has been hit by a pitch eight times this season, breaking her own single-season record of six plunks set last season. 

Comeback Kid: After season-ending injuries in each of her first two seasons, Smith has been spectacular at the plate this year, batting a career-best .348 (40-for-115).

Winning Ways: Head coach George DiMatteo entered this weekend with 945 career wins, which is eighth overall in NCAA history. DiMatteo's wife, Deb was also a collegiate softball coach for 27 years and finished with 660 total victories.

Sophomore Superstars: Entering this weekend, Hefler has a career batting average of .413 (137-for-332), which would be the best in Lewis history. Vucsko has a career batting average of .373 (120-for-332), which places her third overall in school history. Hefler (.480) and Vucsko (.446) are also first and second in Lewis history for career on-base percentage.

Shut 'em Down: Pickrum has 19 shutouts for her career, which ties her for fifth in school-history.

Trusting Your Defense: Lewis has totaled 157 strikeouts as a pitching staff which is the fourth-fewest in the NCAA Tournament, following Fort Valley State (128), Caldwell College (136) and Lock Haven (149).