[04/05/02]Crisp defense and a standout pitching performance from Laura Beth Lyons propelled St. Aloysius to a 7-1 win over Class 3A Richland on Thursday.

Lyons, who pitched four games on Saturday, scattered five hits and allowed only a seventh inning run as the Lady Flashes improved to 12-3. They will play a non-division game against Warren Central today, then square off against Mize with the Division 6-1A championship on the line Tuesday.

“We played very tight defense, not one error,” St. Al coach Gene Rogilio said. “We’ve been playing great defensive ball.”

While the Lady Flashes played flawless defense, Richland committed five errors three with two outs in the fifth that allowed four St. Al runs to score.

Kelly Haden paced St. Al with a single and two RBIs, while Lyons and Candice Park each had an RBI single.

Richland got three hits from Brittany Myers and two from LaChondra Williams, but only had one runner reach third base before the seventh inning.

Lyons struck out four and retired the Lady Rangers in order in four of the seven innings.

“I don’t know where that child finds her strength from,” Rogilio said of Lyons. “I’ll put her up against anybody.”

Lyons and Danielle Klaus had RBI singles in the third inning to give the Lady Flashes a 2-0 lead.

St. Al added four more in the fifth and one in the sixth.

St. Al, which cannot finish worse than second in the division, will play at No. 3 Warren Central today at 4:30.

Rogilio said that as nice as it would be to beat the Lady Vikes, the real challenge is Tuesday.

“We’d love to beat Warren Central, but I’d rather beat Mize,” Rogilio said. “To beat Warren Central would be a feather in our cap, but it’s not going to give me the district.”