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East Peoria, Ill. - Six different Lewis University softball players recorded at least one RBI and five different Flyers notched a pair of base hits as they claimed the 8-6 victory over Illinois Springfield in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships at the EastSide Center on Friday (May 1) evening.

Freshman left fielder Kaylee Prieto (Chicago, Ill./Marist) led the way for the Flyers going 4-for-4 with a run and a RBI. Lewis senior first baseman Kelsey Ullrich (Winfield, Ill./Wheaton North) and sophomore shortstop Carly Jaworski (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) both took UIS relief pitcher Alexandria Smith deep. Ullrich was 2-for-4 with a solo home run, while Jaworski's two-run jack came in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sophomore third baseman Carolyn Nojiri (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North), freshman right fielder Jenna Cairo (Chicago, Ill./Fenwick) and junior second baseman Frankie Castagna (Chicago, Ill./De La Salle) each collected two hits for the Flyers. Cairo scored twice and drove in two, while Castagna added a run and a RBI and Nojiri scored once.

"Now this is the team I've been expecting to see all season!," Lewis head softball coach Becky Pearl said. "We took our offensive performance to a whole new level and we're showing that we belong in this tournament."

With the victory, Lewis improves to 27-20 and extends its season-best winning streak to six games. The Flyers will take on No. 2 Missouri-St. Louis (42-6) at 1 PM on Saturday (May 2). UIS falls to 32-21 on the campaign and meets Rockhurst at 11 AM.

Lewis starting pitcher Lainie Schweickert (Peru, Ill./St. Bede Academy) went the distance for the Flyers to earn the complete-game victory. Schweickert (10-8) scattered six runs and seven hits, while fanning six batters. UIS starting pitcher Taylor Bowlby (20-9) was tagged with the loss, surrendering two runs and five hits, while striking out four.