Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University softball team handed Grand Valley State just its third loss of the season, as the Flyers (13-14) beat the Lakers, 3-2, in Game Two of their regional doubleheader.
   The Flyers secured the victory on a walk-off single by freshman first baseman Carley Maupin (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) in the bottom of the seventh inning. GVSU (15-3) picked up the 4-0 victory in the opener, as designated player Ellie Balbach went 2-for-3 with all four RBI, including a three-run home run.
   "I'm really proud of the way we responded (after losing the opener), especially against a good team like Grand Valley State," Lewis head softball coach Becky Pearl said.
   Lewis returns to action on Friday (March 25), as the Flyers take on No. 2 ranked Indianapolis for a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader. First pitch is slated for 12 PM ET.

GAME ONE
Grand Valley State 4, Lewis 0
Box Score (PDF) / Box Score (HTML)
WP: Reinhold (4-0); LP: Fossey (3-5)
HR: Balbach (2)

   Balbach (2-for-2, 4 RBI, run) recorded all the power necessary for GVSU, as she took Lewis freshman pitcher Paige Fossey (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) deep for a three-run home run in the first inning and added a RBI double in the fourth to help the Lakers to the 4-0 regional win over the host Flyers.
   Fossey went the distance and allowed four runs and five hits, while fanning five batters. Her counterpart Courtney Reinhold earned the complete-game, two-hit shutout victory for the Lakers.

GAME TWO
Lewis 3, Grand Valley State 2
Box Score (PDF) / Box Score (HTML)
WP: Brems (6-4); LP: Andrasik (4-1)
HR: Cairo (1)

   Grand Valley State rallied from a 2-0 deficit and tied the game in the seventh inning, but Maupin sent the Lakers home on a walk-off RBI single in the bottom half of the frame.
   Lewis sophomore left fielder Kaylee Prieto (Chicago, Ill./Marist) reached base on a fielders choice with two outs in the seventh inning. Prieto (RBI, run) moved over to third on an infield single by junior shortstop Carly Jaworski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) and on a throwing error by GVSU shortstop Teagan Shomin, setting the stage for Maupin.
   Maupin took the offering from Laker relief pitcher Sara Andrasik to left field for the game-winning RBI. Andrasik allowed one run and three hits in 2.2 innings of work in a losing effort.
   Flyer relief pitcher Ali Brems (Kenosha, Wis./Harborside) picked up the victory, surrendering one run and three hits in 2.0 innings pitched.
   Cairo led the Flyers offensively, going 3-for-4, including a solo home run to lead off the game.