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GM 2 Box Score / GM 2 Box Score (PDF)

Louisville, Ky. - Lewis University junior pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) did all she could to help the No. 21 Flyers to its second Great Lakes Valley Conference regular-season title in the past four years, but her nine-inning no-hitter was not enough as the Flyers split their doubleheader against Bellarmine, losing the opener 3-0 and winning the nightcap, 3-0 (9 inn.) at Knights Field on Sunday (May 1) afternoon.

Missouri-St. Louis (29-18) won the overall title with a conference record of 20-5 following their doubleheader sweep of Rockhurst on Sunday. Lewis is now 30-11 overall and finished 19-5 in GLVC action. The Flyers now face Drury (26-28, 13-13 GLVC) at 10 a.m. at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria, Illinois on Friday (May 6) morning.

Habel (11-3) walked two and struck out six batters in her 9-inning no-hitter. It's the Flyers' first no-hitter since Julie Wingerter (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) twirled a five-inning no-no in a 5-0 triumph against Wilmington (DE) on March 1, 2009. 

"Karissa was just masterful today," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "She kept the Bellarmine hitters off balance with her change up and drop ball today. She threw strikes today and I thought (catcher) Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) called a great game."

In the nightcap, Lewis scored all three of its runs in the ninth inning highlighted by a two-run passed ball by Bellarmine catcher Jordan Basham with the bases loaded. Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) added a RBI single for the Flyers in the frame. 

Lewis pinch hitter Alicia McKendry (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) opened the ninth with a single off of BU reliever Amanda Meyer (8-9). McKendry moved over to second base on a sacrifice bunt by senior second baseman Kayla Smith (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North) (Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard North). 

McKendry scored from second on the RBI single from Giancarlo. Meyer then loaded the bases with a single to Rourke (2-for-4, run) and pinch hitter Alexis Munaco (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park) (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park). Giancarlo and Rourke then scored on a two-base passed ball by Basham to extend the Flyers' lead to 3-0. The pitch got past Basham and ricocheted off the cross bar of the backstop, allowing Rourke to score from second.

Lewis junior Traci Freitag (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) and sophomore Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) (Chicago, Ill./Marist) each collected a pair of base hits in game two. 
 
In the opener, Bellarmine starting pitcher Casey Willard (14-5) earned the complete-game shutout victory for the host Knights. Willard scattered seven hits and struck out two batters in the win.

BU right fielder Erin Sireno was a force at the plate for the Knights, as she went 2-for-2 with a double and a two-run homer of Flyer starting pitcher Diana Pickrum (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest). All three of Bellarmine's runs in the opener came with two outs in the inning.

Pickrum (14-4) allowed three runs, five hits and struck out three batters in the loss. Senior first baseman Stephanie Harmon (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South) and Rourke each collected two hits for Lewis.  

Willard was also the starting pitcher in game two for the Knights, as she tossed 7.2 scoreless innings and struck out six batters.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to approximately 6,000 traditional and adult students.  Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates.  The ninth largest not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.

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