ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The Lewis Flyer softball team run ruled No. 25 Illinois Springfield 11-3 in six innings in the opening game of its doubleheader on Friday afternoon at the Lewis Softball Field. The Prairie Stars (28-11, 15-3 GLVC) took the second game 4-2.
Dara Sanders (Crestwood, Ill./Mother McAuley) had four hits in the doubleheader while
Cassie Shaw (Moline, Ill./Moline) and
Cierra Taylor (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) had three hits each.
Game 1 – Lewis 11, Illinois Springfield 3
The Flyers (17-21, 6-14 GLVC) scored in each of the first three innings to take a 5-0 lead. Taylor drove in the first run of the contest with a two-out single to center that scored
Emily Guske (Loves Park, Ill./Harlem). Lewis added to its lead in the second on
Lauren Brennan (Cantonment, Fla./J.M. Tate)'s first home run of the season.
The Flyers made it 3-0 in the third on Shaw's fifth home run of the season and then took advantage of an error to plate two more runs. Taylor reached on an error by the shortstop and scored on Sanders double to left. After a pitching change,
Kendyl Strack (Genoa, Ill./Genoa-Kingston) singled to right to drive in Sanders with the fifth run.
UIS cut the deficit to 5-3 with a three-run homer off the bat of Calla Wickenhauser with one out in the sixth. The Prairie Stars brought the tying run to the plate but Shaw got Jordyn Larsen to ground out back to her to end the inning.
Lewis sent 10 batters to the plate in its half of the sixth scoring six runs on five hits and an error.
Sarah DeMasi (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) drove in a run with a single off the second baseman and then Shaw doubled home two runs with two outs in the inning. After an error put runners on the corner, Sanders drove in her second run of the contest with a single to center.
Morgan Weber (Sugar Grove, Ill./Kaneland) followed with a double to right to make it 10-3 and then Sanders scored on a wild pitch to end the contest.
The Flyers banged out 14 hits in the opener led by Shaw and Sanders with three each while Taylor finished with two. The four through nine spots in the lineup combined to drive in nine of the 10 runs. Shaw threw a complete game allowing three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and a walk to even her record at 6-6.
Game 2 – Illinois Springfield 4, Lewis 2
The Prairie Stars scored two runs on four hits in the opening inning as their first five batters reached base safely to start the game. Erin Stroup drove in the first run with a single through the right side of the infield and then Morgan Edwards dropped a single into center to drive home the second run.
UIS added to its lead with a run in the third on an infield single from Katie Wooldridge with the bases loaded. The Prairie Stars made it 4-0 on a solo home run from Ali Haesele leading off the fourth inning.
Lewis loaded the bases in the sixth inning on an error, a fielder's choice and a walk. Shaw drove in Guske with the first run beating out a double play to extend the rally. That would be all the Flyers got though as Taylor grounded out to second to end the inning.
The Flyers loaded the bases with one out in the seventh on a single, a double and an error to bring the winning run to the plate. Poretto grounded into a fielder's choice to score
Carley Maupin (Peotone, Ill./Peotone) to make it 4-2. DeMasi then flew out to end the game.
Lewis was held to only three hits in the nightcap with Taylor, Sanders and Strack registering a hit each. Sanders suffered the loss allowing four runs on 10 hits with a strikeout and two walks to fall to 11-8 on the season.
The Flyers return to action on Wednesday (April 18) when they travel up to Kenosha, Wis., to take on Wisconsin-Parkside in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
