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Springfield, Mo. - The bats of the Lewis University softball team continue to struggle, as the Drury pitching staff held the Flyer hitters to eight total base hits on their way to the 3-2, 3-0, Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep at
at Thompson Field on Sunday (March 4) afternoon.

For the weekend, Lewis batted .181 (19-for-105) against Missouri S&T and Drury.

"We've dug ourselves a pretty deep hole and we need to find a way to get out of it," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "Hitting is contagious and right now we're at the wrong end of it.

"Our pitchers feel like they need to throw a shutout every time, and that's just too much pressure."

With the sweep, Drury improves to 13-4 on the season and 4-0 in conference play, while the Flyers are now 3-10 on the campaign and 0-4 in GLVC action.

In the opener, Lewis found themselves trailing 3-0 after three innings, before the Flyers mounted a rally with a run in both the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Panthers lead to 3-2. Both sophomore first baseman Alyssa Moseley (Crown Point, Ind./Andrean) (Crown Point, Ind./Andrean) and junior right fielder Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) (Morris, Ill./Morris) each recorded RBI for the Flyers with a sacrifice fly and a single, respectively.

Following Hanford's RBI single in the fifth inning, junior shortstop Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) (Chicago, Ill./Marist) was hit by a Kelsea Garthoff offering to put runners at first and second for the Flyers with two outs. Both runners would move up a base on a passed ball by Drury catcher Kaitlyn Bowles to put two runners in scoring position for Lewis catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South).

Garthoff, however, would induce Giancarlo into a inning-ending groundout to end the Flyer threat. Lewis would have the tying run on again in the sixth inning, but Flyer pinch-runner Frankie Rys (Homer Glen, Ill./Marist) (Homer Glen, Ill./Marist) was stranded in scoring position as Garthoff fanned pinch-hitter Ali Brems (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) to end the frame.

For the game, Lewis stranded seven runners on base, six of which were left in scoring position. Lewis pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) falls to 0-4 on the campaign, as she allowed three runs and six hits in six innings of work, while striking out one batter.

Drury third baseman Amber Hayden went 2-for-3 with a RBI to lead the Panthers offensively. The 3-4-5 hitters of the Panthers' line-up accounted for all three RBI and three of Drury's six hits in the opener.

Garthoff improves to 7-0 in the circle for the Panthers, as she earned the complete-game victory. She allowed two runs and six hits, while striking out five batters.

In the nightcap, Drury junior pitcher Monica Villarreal (5-3) held the Flyer bats in check, as she tossed a complete-game, two-hitter, while striking out five batters. Brems (2-4) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, and seven hits, while fanning 10 batters.

Offensively, Drury second baseman Marissa Valdez and Bowles combined to go 4-for-6 with three RBI in game two. Valdez was 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Bowles was 2-for-3 with one RBI. 

Lewis junior center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) collected both of the Flyers' hits, as she went 2-for-3 with a double.

Lewis returns to action on Tuesday (March 6), as the Flyers take on Maryville in a non-conference doubleheader in St. Louis that begins at noon.