ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The Lewis Flyer softball team dropped its home opener to McKendree 9-1 in six innings and 8-5 on Friday afternoon at the Lewis Softball Field.
Sarah DeMasi (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) led the way with four hits in the doubleheader while
Kendyl Strack (Genoa, Ill./Genoa-Kingston) and
Kaylee Prieto (Chicago, Ill./Marist) added three hits each.
Game 1 – McKendree 9, Lewis 1 six innings
The Bearcats (20-7, 6-2 GLVC) struck first in the opener with a solo home run in the second inning of the bat of Miranda Gajewski. They added to its lead with two more in the third scoring on a wild pitch and a single to right off the bat of Brooke Gajewski.
The Flyers (14-12, 3-5 GLVC) got a run back in the home half of the fourth. DeMasi singled to right to start the inning and advanced to third on an error by the right fielder. Prieto followed with a double to left center to drive in DeMasi. Prieto advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out but was left stranded.
McKendree added to its lead scoring four runs on four hits in the fifth inning and tacked on two more in the sixth inning to pick up the run-rule victory.
Prieto led the Lewis offense recording three of the five hits with DeMasi and Strack adding a hit apiece.
Taylor Boelte (Rockton, Ill./Hononegah) took the loss allowing three runs on four hits.
Game 2 – McKendree 8, Lewis 5
The Flyers struck first in game as their first three batters reached safely.
Dara Sanders (Crestwood, Ill./Mother McAuley) drove in two runs with a double to right but Lewis left two on base as the next three hitters were retired. The Bearcats got a run back in the second on a pair of doubles from Konnor Arrowood and Abbie Bailey.
The Flyers extended their lead scoring three times in their half of the second.
Jessica Lofthouse (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) led off the inning with a double to right center and scored on DeMasi's two-out double to left center. Prieto was intentionally walked and then both runners scored on a dropped fly ball by the right fielder.
The Bearcats tied the game in the third scoring four times highlighted by Brooke Gajewski's three-run homer to center. They then took the lead in the sixth scoring three times. Rebecca Franke hit a two-run homer to left center to put them ahead and Brooke Gajewski followed with a solo shot down the left field line.
Lewis had 10 hits in game two and was led by DeMasi with three while Stack and
Emily Guske (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem) had two each.
Cassie Shaw (Moline, Ill./Moline) suffered the loss allowing eight runs on 11 hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
The Flyers return to the diamond on Sunday when they take on Missouri-St. Louis in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. at the Lewis Softball Field.
