SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The Lewis University softball team started Great Lake Valley Conference play on a strong note as the Flyers swept Drury Saturday (March 16) without allowing a run. Lewis won the first game 4-0 then defeated the Panthers 3-0 in the second. 

GAME 1: Lewis 4, Drury 0
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 15-5, 1-0 GLVC | Drury 12-14, 0-1 GLVC

GAME 1 SUMMARY
Both teams did not score for the first six innings as Lewis had prime chances to score. The Flyers had two runners on base with one out in the opening frame but failed to score.

Lewis had back-to-back base hits by Delaney Garden (Carpentersville, IL/Harry D. Jacobs High School) and Erica Hoffman (Hebron, IN/Boone Grove High School), then a wild pitch brought them to third and second with one out but Drury escaped further damage by getting two straight outs. The Flyers were able to break through in the seventh inning after putting up a four spot for a 4-0 advantage.

Payton Wuske (Frankfort, IL/Lincoln-Way East) started the scoring for Lewis after she walked with the bases loaded which scored Hoffman for the first run of the contest. Grace Kmak (Mokena, Ill.) also drew a bases-loaded walk which scored Jalyn Powell (Tolono, IL/Unity) to make it 2-0.

Gabi Nilles (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora) recorded the biggest hit of the first game as she ripped a two-run single to center which scored Wuske and Megan Bontrager to double the lead at 4-0. Garden was able to escape damage in the bottom of the seventh after allowing her second hit of the game, a triple to right, but the junior escaped further damage.

Garden (7-2) threw a gem on the mound for the Flyers after throwing a complete game shutout. The junior threw seven shutout innings only allowing two hits and striking out eight without walking a batter.

GAME 2: Lewis 3, Drury 0
TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 16-5, 2-0 GLVC | Drury 12-15, 0-2 GLVC

GAME 2 SUMMARY
Lewis flipped it around in the second game as the Flyers scored all three runs in the first inning. Anna Frafjord (Sussex, WI/Hamilton High School) drove home the first run of the contest after ripping a single through the left side which scored Hoffman, then scored Powell after a Drury miscue. 

Kristen Graham (Mapleton, IL/Illini Bluffs High School) was able to extend the Lewis lead to 3-0 after she reached on an error which scored Frafjord. The Flyers had a chance to add more runs in the top of the fifth after Hoffman doubled and Frafjord singled but Drury escaped further damage with back-to-back outs.

Allie Wondrasek (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West High School) (6-0) stayed undefeated on the mound for the Flyers this season after throwing the second straight complete game shutout for Lewis. The sophomore threw seven innings allowing five hits, walking one and striking out seven. 

UP NEXT
Lewis Softball will be back Sunday, March 17 as the Flyers travel to Southwest Baptist to take on the Bearcats for a doubleheader starting at noon CT.