Junior Courtney Lyons could reach 20 wins this weekend.

April 23, 2008

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The Lewis University softball team has moved up to No. 7 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll.

The Flyers (34-12, 18-2) were ranked No. 9 in last week's poll. Lewis is ranked No. 7 for the first time since last season, and the Flyers have not earned a higher ranking than No. 7 since the 2001 season when the team finished national runner-up.

In addition to the Flyers' national ranking, Lewis also holds the No. 1 spot in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional Rankings.

The regional rankings determine which teams advance to the NCAA Division II Championship in May. The top eight teams from each of the eight regions in Division II earn entry into the tournament. The Flyers have eight previous NCAA Championship appearances.

If the Flyers maintain the No. 1 spot in the Great Lakes Region for the remainder of the regular season, they would host the regional tournament at the Lewis softball field. It would be the second consecutive season Lewis has hosted the regional. Last year's D-II National Champion (SIU Edwardsville) came out of the Great Lakes Region.

Since starting the season 1-6, the Flyers have gone 33-6, posting an impressive 18-2 record in Great Lakes Valley Conference play. The Flyers are one win away from clinching first place in the conference, which would grant Lewis top-seed honors at next week's GLVC Championship Tournament.

The Flyers have hit a program record 44 home runs this season. Senior catcher Mallory Paine earlier this season set the program records for home runs and RBIs. She leads the team with nine long balls this season, needing just one more to set the program's single-season record.

Junior shortstop Kelly Dianis is vying to finish the season with a .400 batting average. She heads into this final weekend of regular-season play with a .408 mark at the plate.

Junior pitcher Courtney Lyons has set a personal best with 18 wins this season and will attempt this weekend to become the first Flyer with 20 wins since 2001. If she reaches 20, she'll be only the fifth pitcher in school history to win 20 or more games in a season.

Exciting action is on tap this weekend as the Flyers finish the regular season with a pair of home doubleheaders. Lewis hosts Rockhurst on Saturday and Drury on Sunday in key GLVC matchups. Game times for both days are at Noon.

Also on Saturday, the Flyers will be celebrating the program's 30th anniversary with an alumni reunion during the games. On Sunday, the Flyers will honor their 2008 senior class.