WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The Lewis University softball team swept its games Thursday (March 14) during the final day of the PFX Spring Games. The Flyers defeated Pittsburgh-Johnston, 9-4 in eight innings, then defeated Saint Michael's, 2-0 in walk-off fashion.
GAME 1: Lewis 9, Pittsburgh-Johnston 4 (8 innings)
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 13-5 | Pittsburgh-Johnston 3-6
GAME 1 SUMMARY
Pittsburgh-Johnston struck first after connecting on a home run to make it 1-0. Both teams did not score in the second and third innings.
Lewis responded in the fourth inning after
Payton Wuske (Frankfort, IL/Lincoln-Way East) reached on an error which scored
Anna Frafjord (Sussex, WI/Hamilton High School) to tie it at 1-1. The Mountain Cats regained the lead in the top of the sixth after connecting on its second home run of the day to make it 2-1.
The Flyers were down to their final out in the top of the seventh before Lewis rallied to tie it.
Delaney Garden (Carpentersville, IL/Harry D. Jacobs High School) singled to center, then
Erica Hoffman (Hebron, IN/Boone Grove High School) drove her home with an RBI double to make it 2-2.
Lewis put up a crooked number in the eighth as the Flyers plated seven runs which gave them a 9-2 lead. The big play came when
Kristen Graham (Mapleton, IL/Illini Bluffs High School) hit a go-ahead pinch hit three-run home run over the left field fence which scored Frafjord and
Emma Young (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West).
The Flyers were not finished, as Wuske then doubled and
Grace Kmak (Mokena, Ill.) singled.
Gabi Nilles (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora) brought Wuske and Kmak home with a two-run double which made it 7-2.
Jalyn Powell (Tolono, IL/Unity) extended the lead out to 8-2 after hitting a sacrifice fly which scored Nilles. Two batters later,
Meghan Bontrager (Milford, IN/Northridge) stretched the Lewis advantage to 9-2 with a single that scored Garden.
The Mountain Cats looked to rally in the bottom of the eighth as they plated two runs to make it 9-4 but that score would hold up with Lewis winning 9-4.
Garden (6-2) threw a complete game after tossing eight innings, allowing four runs (two earned), giving up seven hits, walking one and striking out 10.
GAME 2: Lewis 2, Saint Michael's 0
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 14-5 | Saint Michael's 4-7
GAME 2 SUMMARY
Lewis had a scoring threat in the second inning after loading the bases with one out. The Purple Knights were able to escape further damage and got back-to-back outs.
The Flyers loaded the bases again in the third but once again Saint Michael's got a pair of outs to escape the threat. SMC loaded the bases in the bottom of fourth inning but Wuske was able to escape further damage and got the third out.
Both teams did not threaten in the fifth and sixth innings. Lewis was able to break through in the seventh inning with two outs.
Hoffman singled to center, then Powell came up and smacked the first pitch she saw over the left field wall to give Lewis the 2-0 victory.
Wuske (3-2) recorded the complete game shutout victory in the circle, throwing seven innings, giving up three hits, walking two and striking out three.
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action for its Great Lakes Valley Conference opener as the Flyers travel to Springfield, Missouri Saturday (March 16) to take on Drury starting at 12 p.m. CT.
