May 6, 2005

Box Score

EAST PEORIA, Ill.--Freshman Shannon Roney made quite an impression in her first career Great Lakes Valley Conference softball tournament game, as the rookie pitcher threw a complete-game shutout and hit a home run in Lewis' 4-0 win over Southern Indiana.

Roney (12-7) went the distance striking out one and holding the Screaming Eagles (27-19) to just four hits. At the plate, she was 2 for 3 and launched a two-run bomb to left center in the fifth inning.

Lewis (28-20), the defending GLVC Tournament champion, advances in the winner's bracket and will play at 3 p.m. versus the victor of the Northern Kentucky/Missouri-St. Louis game.

The Flyers registered eight hits off Southern Indiana starter Missy Grover (14-10). Grover worked six innings allowing four earned runs.

Robin Martz began the scoring for Lewis in a pattern that has become all too familiar this season. In the third inning, Martz reached on a one-out single to center field. Beth Shelus, who ranks fifth in the nation in sacrifice bunts per game, successfully sacrificed for the 21st time this season to advance Martz to second. Then, junior Amy Yusko completed the cycle by bringing Martz home with an RBI double to left field.

Yusko, the GLVC RBI leader, delivered her 21st two-out RBI of the season with the hit. It also brought her season RBI total to 42, seven shy of Lewis' single-season record.

Roney followed Yusko's double with an infield single and Kristy Vanek capped the rally with a two-out double that scored Yusko and gave Lewis a 2-0 lead.

In addition to Roney, Martz chipped in with a two-hit game. Martz also stole a base and scored two runs. Martz' hits give her 80 this season, two shy of the school's single-season record that she set last season. She also has 206 career hits, six short of becoming Lewis' all-time hits leader.

If Lewis wins its second game, it will be done for the day and play at 3 p.m. Saturday. However if the Flyers lose, they will play an elimination game at 5 p.m. Friday.