EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The second seeded Lewis University softball team defeated No. 3 seed Drury 4-3 in 11 innings before falling to top seed Indianapolis 1-0 and being eliminated from GLVC Tournament Play at East Side Centre Saturday.
GAME 1 TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 38-14 | Drury 30-24
GAME 1 SUMMARY
Both teams did not score in the first inning before Drury took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Lewis responded in the bottom half of the second with a solo home run from
Evie Calderon (Chicago, IL/Whitney Young), her sixth round tripper of the season to tie it at 1-1.
Neither team did not score in the third, fourth and fifth innings to keep it at 1-1. The Panthers regained the lead in the sixth inning for a 2-1 advantage and extended it further with another run in the seventh which gave DU a 3-1 lead.
Lewis down to its final inning were able to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning with a pair of runs to tie the contest at 3-3.
Kenzie Murdock (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central High School) was able to come up off the bench and draw a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-2 Drury.
The next batter,
Delaney Garden (Carpentersville, IL/Harry D. Jacobs High School) was able to tie it up at 3-3 with a fielder's choice which scored
Meghan Bontrager (Milford, IN/Northridge) from third. Drury was able to escape further damage by getting the third out and forced extra innings.
Neither team scored in the eighth inning. The Flyers looked to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth after Bontrager led off the inning with a double.
Payton Wuske (Frankfort, IL/Lincoln-Way East) sacrificed Bontrager over to third but then Murdock lined into a double play and Drury was able to get Bontrager off third. Lewis was able to break through and walk it off in the 11
th inning however.
Erica Hoffman (Hebron, IN/Boone Grove High School) led off the frame with a single, Calderon sacrificed her over to second, Bontrager singled then Wuske successfully laid down the suicide squeeze which scored Hoffman from third to win it.
Allie Wondrasek (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way West High School) (15-3) recorded the win after going all 11 innings while allowing three runs (two earned), gave up nine hits, issued two walks and struck out 10.
GAME 2 RECORDS
Indianapolis 53-3 | Lewis 38-15
GAME 2 SUMMARY
Lewis was unable to get much offense going in the game as GLVC Pitcher of the Year Kenzee Smith held the Flyers to one hit.
The lone Lewis hit came in the top of the second as Calderon ripped a single in center field. The Flyers had a chance to grab an early lead in the third as Wuske walked,
Grace Kmak (Mokena, Ill./) sacrificed her over to second then Garden reached on an error.
Lewis had runners on second and first with only one out but were unable to have a run cross the plate.
Indianapolis was able to take the lead in bottom of the fifth after the Greyhounds hit a solo home run to left field.
Garden (18-8) suffered the loss in the circle after going six innings, allowing only one run, giving up four hits, issuing one walk and striking out seven.
UP NEXT
Lewis will await its NCAA postseason fate for the NCAA II Softball Selection Show slated for Monday, May 6 at 9 a.m. CT on
www.ncaa.com
