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Somers, Wis. - Two bad innings stood in the way of the Lewis University softball team extending its winning streak to nine games as UW-Parkside rallied for the 4-3 victory in the opening game of their Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader, before the visiting Flyers captured the nightcap with the 9-3 win at the Case Softball Complex on Thursday (Apr. 25) afternoon.

With the split, Lewis is now 24-12 overall and 18-6 in GLVC action, while the host Rangers are now 9-33 on the campaign and 6-22 in conference play.

For the second-straight day, Lewis starting pitcher Kelly Bowler (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) held the Rangers hitless through the first four innings of game one, as the Flyers held a 3-0 advantage heading into the fifth.

That's when the wheels fell off for the Flyers, as the Rangers scored three unearned runs in the fifth to even the score at 3-apiece. UW-Parkside scored two of their runs on a throwing error and a Bowler wild pitch. The Rangers added an insurance run in the sixth inning on an infield single by pitcher Kelynn Sporer.

Sporer (2-8) earned the complete-game win for UW-Parkside, as she scattered three runs - two earned - and eight hits, while striking out four batters. Bowler (12-7) surrendered four runs - one earned - and four hits in six innings, striking out four Rangers.

Lewis left fielder Ali Brems (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) topped the Flyers offensively, as she went 2-for-4 in the opener.

In the nightcap, the Flyers left no doubt as they plated six runs in the second inning and never looked back. Lewis senior right fielder Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) (Morris, Ill./Morris) went 2-for-3 with three RBI, a double and a triple. In the past two days, Hanford is batting .545 (6-for-11) with 12 RBI, four runs scored and five extra-base hits.

The Flyers also received two hits and a run apiece from senior shortstop Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) (Chicago, Ill./Maris), sophomore center fielder Justina Doll (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) and freshman catcher Kimmy Teats (Erie, Ill./Erie-Prophetstown) (Erie, Ill./Erie-Prophetstown). Teats added a RBI single in the fifth inning, while freshman third baseman Alexis Funk (Dyer, Ind./Marian Catholic) (Dyer, Ind./Marian Catholic) had a two-run double in the six-run second.

Brems (12-5) won her seventh consecutive start, as she allowed three runs and eight hits, while striking out eight batters in seven innings. UW-Parkside starting pitcher Kristin Kleinmeyer took the loss for the Rangers, giving up six runs and seven hits in 1.1 innings of work.

"We had 12 strong innings with two innings of pure, agonizing helplessness result in a split today," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "Our numerous mental mistakes allowed UW-Parkside back into game one.

"If we play anything like this against (No. 1) Indianapolis on Saturday, we're going to struggle."

Lewis returns home on Saturday (Apr. 27) as they welcome No. 1 Indianapolis for a 12 PM doubleheader.