ROSEMONT – A pair of big innings late doomed Roosevelt in back-to-back 7-0 losses against Lewis on Sunday in non-conference action at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont.

The Lakers (0-2) managed just one hit in the opener and the Flyers added five runs late in the game to pull away. Lewis then sealed the second game with a two-out rally in the fifth inning that netted it two runs.

GAME 1
Catie Luzzi was in the circle to start the game and she mostly was able to hold the Flyers at bay. Both of the runs charged to the freshman were unearned, and she responded each time by delivering a big pitch for the final out. In the first inning, she induced a groundout to Athena Pomele-Pen at shortstop, and in the second, she caught the Lewis batter looking at strike three.

However, Luzzi's best play came in the top of the third inning when she faced a jam with the bases loaded with one out. Luzzi's offering was smashed back at her and she quickly stuck her glove up to catch the line drive before doubling off the runner at third base.

Roosevelt's only hit of the game came in the fourth inning when Caitlin Williams sped to first on a bunt to lead off the frame. She later stole second to be the only Lakers base runner to move past first base in the first game of the doubleheader.

Riley Czarnecki took over in the circle after Luzzi and ran into some unfortunate luck in her 2.1 innings. She nearly escaped the fifth unscathed before a bad bounce off the infield turf on a two-out slap allowed a run to score. A bloop single into right field allowed a second run to score in the inning. Lewis then tacked on three more in the sixth.

GAME 2
After retiring five of the six batters she faced in the opener, Kailey Hancock got the start in the second game and struggled to find her footing. Lewis scored four runs in the first before the sophomore escaped the inning and settled in. She allowed just one hit in her final seven batters faced before Czarnecki took over in the circle again.

Roosevelt was able to get a hit in the first inning of the game with Pomele-Pen lining a single up the left-field line. Isis Enriquez put a runner in scoring position in the second inning with a single in the hole between shortstop and third base, and Williams stole second after walking in the third.

The Lakers' best chance to score came in the sixth when Williams' speed forced an error from the Lewis third baseman to lead off the inning. Brynn Dvoracek hit a clean single into right field to move the runners and Bianca Gallegos hit a sharp grounder to first base that allowed the runners to advance to second and third before the rally fizzled.

UP NEXT: Roosevelt returns to Rosemont next weekend for four more games at the dome, all against Division II opponents. The Lakers will participate in Lewis' tournament at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex and will begin Friday with an 11 a.m. game against Upper Iowa and a 1:30 start against Bemidji State.