EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The No. 2 seed Lewis University softball team held off elimination after rallying from behind to defeat sixth seeded Truman State 4-3 at Eastside Centre Friday (May 3). 
 
TEAM RECORDS
No. 2 seed Lewis 37-14 | No. 6 seed Truman State 23-29
 
GAME SUMMARY
Truman State struck first in the opening inning to make it 1-0. Lewis was able to respond in the bottom half of the first.
 
Delaney Garden (Carpentersville, IL/Harry D. Jacobs High School) led off the frame with a single, stole second base, Gabi Nilles (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora) singled her over to third then Jalyn Powell (Tolono, IL/Unity) hit a sacrifice fly which scored Garden to tie it at 1-1.  Both teams did not score in the second inning to keep it 1-1.
 
The Bulldogs regained the lead in the third inning to make it 2-1. Neither team scored in the fourth inning.
 
Lewis was able to tie the contest in the fifth inning after Powell led off the frame with a double, Anna Frafjord (Sussex, WI/Hamilton High School) brought her over to third then Evie Calderon (Chicago, IL/Whitney Young) drove her home after reaching on an error which made it 2-2.
 
Truman State got a 3-2 lead right back the next half inning. Garden was able to escape further damage as the Bulldogs had runners on third and second with one out. 
 
The Flyers rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning to grab its first lead of the game. Payton Wuske (Frankfort, IL/Lincoln-Way East) reached on a TSU fielding error, Grace Kmak (Mokena, Ill./) bunted her over to second, Emma Young (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West) stole third then Garden drove her home with a clutch RBI triple to left center which tied it at 3-3.
 
Gabi Nilles (North Aurora, IL/West Aurora) gave Lewis a 4-3 lead after ripping a single to left field which scored Garden. 
 
Garden (18-7) picked up the victory after throwing all seven innings in the circle while going 3-4 at the plate, gave up seven hits, allowed three runs, walked none and struck out six. 
 
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action Saturday, May 4 against Drury in an elimination game starting at 9 a.m. CT.