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Romeoville, Ill. - The eight-game winning streak for the Lewis University softball team came to an end, but the Flyers are peaking at the right time, splitting their Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season finale against Illinois Springfield, winning the opener 1-0, before dropping the nightcap, 7-3, at the Lewis Softball Field on Sunday (Apr. 27) afternoon.

The Flyers (23-22, 17-15 GLVC) have won 13 of their last 15 games and have clinched the No. 6 seed in the upcoming GLVC Softball Tournament. Lewis' opponent and game time on Friday (May 2) have yet to be announced.

"We've achieved an awful lot this season after our struggles in the beginning," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "We're really playing well right now and we're looking forward to the tournament next weekend."

For the second-straight day, the Flyers won 1-0 in the opening game on a walk-off single. Lewis freshman second baseman Carolyn Nojiri (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) opened the scoreless seventh inning with a bunt single and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt by Bianca Garcia (Elmwood Park, Ill./Elmwood Park).

Two batters later, Lewis sophomore right fielder Brittany Russell (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East) plated Nojiri with a game-winning RBI single to left field. Russell led the Flyers offensively, going 2-for-4 at the dish with the winning RBI.

Lewis junior pitcher Kelly Bowler (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) won her ninth-straight decision with the complete-game, three-hit shutout. Bowler (14-9) struck out four batters in the win. Her counterpart, Cheyanne Bowman (10-8) was equally as impressive, allowing one run and six hits in 6.2 innings pitched with five punch outs.

UIS' offensive struggles ended in game two, as the Prairie Stars broke open a 1-all tie with six unanswered runs over the fifth and sixth innings to secure the win. Russell and starting pitcher Chase Machain (Chicago, Ill./Trinity) both led the Flyers with two hits apiece, while junior designated player Ali Brems (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) collected a solo home run.

Machain (1-8) took the loss for the Flyers in the circle, surrendering seven runs, eight hits and six walks in seven innings with two K's. UIS starting pitcher Alex Smith (16-11) earned the complete-game win, giving up three runs and six hits, while fanning four.