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Louisville, Ky. - With two weekends left in the regular-season, the Lewis University softball team is peaking at the right time, as the Flyers extended their winning streak to six games with the 4-2, 5-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader sweep over Bellarmine at Knights Field on Saturday (Apr. 7) afternoon to move over the .500 mark for the first time this season.

"(Our team) has had a great attitude during this streak," Lewis head softball coach George DiMatteo said. "We're more loose and relaxed.

"We put ourselves in quite a hole and we just took the attitude of 'Let's do the best we can', because there's very little pressure on us," DiMatteo continued. "Offensively, we're getting a lot of clutch hits, which wasn't the case earlier this season, and that has a lot to do with this (winning streak) as well."

With the sweep, Lewis improves to 22-21 overall and 14-14 in GLVC action, while the host Knights are now 24-20 on the campaign and 15-11 in conference play.

In the opener, Bellarmine touched Lewis starting pitcher Karissa Habel (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) for a run in the first and second innings on RBI singles by left fielder Erin Sireno and shorstop Megan Murdoch to take a 2-0 lead.

The Flyers then stormed ahead in the top of the fifth inning with four unearned runs following a two-out error by Knights' third baseman Madi Ratliff. Lewis junior shorstop Michelle Vucsko (Chicago, Ill./Marist) (Chicago, Ill./Marist) connected for a two-out, two-run double to even the score at two. Lewis junior right fielder Lauren Hanford (Morris, Ill./Morris) (Morris, Ill./Morris) and senior catcher Mary Giancarlo (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South) each added a RBI single to give the Flyers the 4-2 advantage.

Giancarlo and sophomore left fielder Jessica Rourke (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) each collected two hits in the opener to pace the Flyers offensive attack.

Habel (7-6) earned the complete-game victory for the Flyers, as she allowed two runs and seven hits, while striking out five batters. Her counterpart Alicia Miller fell to 13-12 on the campaign, as she also went the distance allowing four unearned runs and seven hits while striking out one.

The nightcap was once again controlled by Lewis freshman pitcher Kelly Bowler (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) (Lockport, Ill./Lockport). For the second-straight day, Bowler (8-4) earned the complete-game victory, as she allowed one run and two hits, while fanning four batters. Bowler, in fact, held Bellarmine hitless for the first 4.1 innings that she worked, before issuing a one-out single to Kayla Padgett.

Vucsko, once again, shouldered the offensive load for the Flyers in game two, as she went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a pair of doubles. For the week, Vucsko batted .429 (6-for-14) with a home run and 11 RBi. All six of her hits went for extra bases. Lewis junior center fielder Jayme Hefler (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Bellarmine starting pitcher Amanda Meyer (11-8) took the loss for the Knights, as she allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings of work.

Lewis returns to action on April 15th, as the Flyers welcome No. 2 ranked Indianapolis to the Lewis Softball Field for a 12 p.m. (CST) twinbill on 'Senior Day'.