Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University softball team split its Great Lakes Valley Conference home opener against No. 25 Missouri-St. Louis on Friday (March 24), as the Flyers beat the Tritons, 5-1, in Game One, but lost a 5-4 (9 inn.) heartbreaker in the nightcap at the Lewis Softball Field.

With the split, Lewis is now 16-9 on the season and 4-2 in GLVC action, while the Tritons move to 21-9 overall and 3-3 in conference play.

Lewis returns to action on Saturday (March 25), as the Flyers welcome Maryville to the Lewis Softball Field for a 12 PM first pitch.

GAME ONE
Lewis 5, UMSL 1
WP - Sanders (12-0); LP - Kingery (11-5)

Lewis used a four-run second inning, highlighted by RBI singles from sophomore first baseman Carley Maupin (Peotone, Ill./Peotone), junior left fielder Kaylee Prieto (Chicago, Ill./Marist) and freshman right fielder Emily Guske (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) to spur them to the 5-1 win over the Tritons in the opener.

Maupin, Prieto and sophomore designated player Alise Perna (Naperville, Ill./Metea Valley) each picked up a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Flyers.

Lewis starting pitcher Dara Sanders (Crestwood, Ill./Mother McAuley) - who also went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run - earned the complete-game victory for the Flyers. Sanders (12-0) allowed one unearned run and seven hits, while fanning eight Tritons.

GAME TWO
UMSL 5, Lewis 4 (9 inn.)
WP - Caraway (4-1); LP - Sanders (12-1)
HR - Jaworski 2 (2); Walker (1)

Despite a pair of game-tying solo home runs from senior shortstop Carly Jaworski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont), the Flyers could not sustain that momentum as UMSL plated the go-ahead run in the ninth inning with a bases-loaded walk to pick up the victory.

Maupin and freshman second baseman Amy Bukovsky (Aurora, Ill./Montini Catholic) each picked up two hits and drove in a run in the loss for the Flyers.

Sanders (12-1)  took the loss in the circle for the Flyers. She allowed three runs - two earned - and five hits in 3.2 innings of work, while striking out three batters.