MANKATO, Minn. – Lewis University's softball team dropped a pair of contests on the final day Minnesota State's Dome Tournament at Scheel Field on Sunday in Mankato, Minn. The Flyers (2-2) lost their first game to Emporia State 6-5 and then fell to Minnesota State 6-4 in the finale.

Emporia State 6 Lewis 5
The Hornets (2-3) scored twice in the top of the third to take the early lead. Lewis answered with a run in its half of the third and then tied the game in the fourth on Kristin Kavalauskas' (Oak Forest, Ill./Tinley Park) double to center scoring Sara Serena (Kankakee, Ill./Kankakee). The Flyers had a chance to take the lead but Olivia Magaldi (Mishawka, Ind./Penn) lined out to short to end the inning.

ESU regained the lead scoring three times in the fifth. Brittanie Shepherd had the big hit in the inning driving in two runs with a two-out single to center.

Lewis loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth and scored two runs on sacrifice flies from Amy Bukovsky (Aurora, Ill./Montini Catholic) and Cierra Taylor (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew). The Flyers had the tying run in scoring position but Katie David (Mapleton, Ill./Illini Bluffs) flew out to left to end the inning.

The Hornets added an insurance run in the seventh on a solo home run to right off the bat of Hannah Steeby.

Lewis cut the lead to one with a run in the seventh. Elexis Swartzentruber (Normal, Ill./Normal Community) led off the inning with a walk and was run for by Maggie Joutras (Shorewood, IL/Providence Catholic High School). Joutras advanced to second on a wild pitch, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Serena's ground out to short. Kavalauskas had a chance to tie the game but grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Kavalauskas led the Flyer attack with three hits while Taylor and Jessica Lofthouse (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) had two hits apiece. Taylor also drove in two runs. Serena got the start in the circle allowing five runs on seven hits and five walks in five innings of work to take the loss.

Minnesota State 6 Lewis 4
Lewis jumped out to an early lead scoring twice in the top of the third on Taylor's single to center to bring home Serena and Lofthouse. The Flyers had a chance to add on to their lead but Swartzentruber lined out to short to end the inning.

The Mavericks (4-1) answered with five runs in the bottom of the third. Courtney Potter had the big hit in the inning hitting a three-run homer to right center. MSU extended its lead to 6-2 in the fourth on back-to-back doubles from Kayla Moky and Carly Esselman.

Lewis took advantage of three Maverick errors in the seventh get within 6-4 and bring the tying run to the plate. Magaldi led off the inning with a single. Carrie Anderson (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) then reached on a fielder's choice to third. Sydney Nelson tried to get Magaldi at second but threw the ball into right field and then Emma Schifferle committed an error that allowed Magaldi to score and Anderson to advance to third.

Lofthouse reached on an error by Mackenzie Ward allowing Anderson to score. Lofthouse advanced to second on a strikeout but was left stranded as Taylor grounded out to first and David flew out to center to end the game.

The Flyers outhit the Mavericks 9-7 in the contest and were led by Serena, David and Kavalauskas with two hits apiece. David got the start in the circle and took the loss allowing six runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in six innings of work to fall to 2-1 on the season.

Lewis is back in action on Thursday (Feb. 20) taking on Saginaw Valley at 3:30 p.m. at The Dome at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Ill.