INDIANAPOLIS – The Lewis University softball team avoided elimination Friday afternoon (May 10) as the Flyers defeated eighth seeded Missouri S&T 1-0 then took down Saginaw Valley State 4-3 at Baumgartner Field on the campus of University of Indianapolis.
TEAM RECORDS
No. 4 seed Lewis 39-16 | No. 8 seed Missouri S&T 27-33
GAME SUMMARY
Lewis started the scoring in the bottom of the first after
Gabi Nilles (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora) walked, stole second then
Jalyn Powell (Tolono, IL/Unity) drove her home with a RBI single to make it 1-0. The Flyers had another prime scoring chance after
Anna Frafjord (Sussex, WI/Hamilton High School) singled then stole second to make it third and second with one out.
Missouri S&T escaped further damage by getting back-to-back outs to close out the frame.
Lewis was able to escape damage in the top of the third inning after the Miners loaded the bases but the Flyers recorded the third and final out of the frame.
The Flyers looked to put runs up in the fourth inning after
Evie Calderon (Chicago, IL/Whitney Young) doubled then
Meghan Bontrager (Milford, IN/Northridge) bunt singled to the pitcher. Missouri S&T escaped further damage by getting three straight outs.
The Miners threatened again in the top of the seventh with a single and double with two outs but a relay from Bontrager to Frafjord to Nilles at the plate cut down the would-be tying run to win the game for Lewis.
Allie Wondrasek (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West High School) (16-3) recorded the win in the circle after going seven innings, allowing eight hits, issuing four walks and striking out three.
GAME 2 RESULT
TEAM RECORDS
No. 4 seed Lewis 40-16 | No. 5 seed Saginaw Valley 35-22
GAME 2 SUMMARY
Lewis started out fast after putting a pair of runs in the opening inning. Nilles singled then Frafjord hit her ninth home run of the season with a two-run shot to right which made it 2-0.
Saginaw Valley responded with two runs of its own in the bottom half to tie it at 2-2.
The Flyers bounced back with two more runs right back in the second inning. Calderon singled, Bontrager sacrificed her over,
Delaney Garden (Carpentersville, IL/Harry D. Jacobs High School) singled to make it bases-loaded then Nilles came up with a two-run single up the middle which scored two to make it 4-2.
The Cardinals got one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut into the Lewis lead after hitting a solo shot to center to make it 4-3.
Wondrasek (17-3) also pitched the second game and recorded the win. The sophomore went five innings, allowed three runs (two earned), scattered four hits, walking two and striking out one.
Payton Wuske (Frankfort, IL/Lincoln-Way East) recorded her second save of the season after pitching the sixth and seventh innings. In those two innings, Wuske pitched two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, issued two walks and struck out one.
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Saturday, May 11 as the Flyers take on host University of Indianapolis. The Flyers will need to win both games in order to advance, the two teams meet up at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. CT. If Lewis wins the first game, there will be a winner-take-all matchup following the first game at approximately 12:30 p.m. CT/1:30 p.m. ET.
