Flyers Sweep No. 3 SIUE In GLVC Opener

March 16, 2008

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Senior Mallory Paine and junior Carissa Castonzo each homered and junior Courtney Lyons picked up two wins as the Flyers came from behind twice to earn a doubleheader sweep of No. 3 SIU Edwardsville, Sunday afternoon in the conference opener for both teams.

The Flyers (12-8, 2-0) won 2-1 in 11 innings in the opener and then took the second game 4-2.

Paine provided the heroics for Lewis in the first game. She came up with one out in the top of the 11th and blasted a solo home run off the foul pole down the left field line.

The run was the first since the fourth inning of the game when Lewis tied the score 1-1. Junior Kelly Dianis ripped a two-out double to score senior Carla Musillo, who had singled earlier in the inning.

SIUE scored its only run in the first on a single after back-to-back walks.

The Flyers used four pitchers in the game, with Lyons (8-3) pitching the final four to earn the win. She allowed just two hits. The Flyers also received three innings of scoreless relief by junior Julie Wingerter and 2 2/3 from freshman Diana Pickrum.

Lyons went the distance in game two, striking out six while scattering six hits. She gave up two runs over the first three innings, but kept the Cougars off the board the rest of the way.

Down 2-0, Lewis got on the board in the fourth. Freshman Kayla Smith doubled with two out, and then Paine brought her home with a single to left. The Flyers tied the game in the sixth when Castonzo led-off with a long home run to left field.

The game remained tied 2-2 until the seventh. The Flyers opened the inning with back-to-back singles by Paine and Musillo. Dianis sacrificed both runners up a base, and then freshman Stephanie Harmon scored Paine with a hard-hit ball to second. Another fielding error by SIUE on a ball off the bat of Castonzo allowed Musillo to score the Flyers' fourth run.

After starting the season 0-5, the Flyers have won 12 of their last 15 games. Up next for the Flyers is their home opener against St. Francis on Wednesday at 3 p.m.