April 25, 2009

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - The Flyers took the term timely hitting to a whole new level in game two of a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader against Saint Joseph's on Saturday afternoon. Lewis recorded just one hit in the game, but boy did they make it a count. Junior Scott Householder (Berwyn, Ill./St. Josephs/Triton) hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to help the Flyers to a 5-1 win in the nightcap after a 17-6 defeat in the opener.

The slam was Householder's fourth home run of the season and second of the day.

Despite just the one hit the Flyers had plenty of base runners in the contest thanks to eight walks. Pumas starter Chase Sonen (5-3) was responsible for seven of the walks.

"He (Sonen) is an all conference pitcher who was having trouble with location and we didn't help him out," head coach Tim McDonough said. "We stayed patient and then Scott came up with the big hit."

Householder's slam held up due to a complete game pitching performance by junior Joe Scumaci (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence/Triton). He allowed six hits and just one run, a Pumas' solo home run in the sixth, while striking out seven. The performance was just another in a long line of solid outings this year. In 11 starts he's recorded seven complete games with a 6-3 record. His 2.12 era is among the best in the conference.

"Joe was great but we played solid defense behind him," McDonough said of a defense that allowed no errors in game two.

Scumaci was part of that defense in the third inning. With runners on first and second with one out Scumaci caught a line drive and fired the ball to second base to turn an inning ending double play.

Lewis scored their first run in the opening frame. Following three walks in the inning freshman Michael Wido (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) hit a dribbler in front of the plate. The Pumas' catcher hurried a wild throw to first that allowed Wido to eb safe and first and score sophomore Mike Vucsko (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist).

From there it was the Scumaci and Householder show.

In game one senior Chris Brigham (Bolingbrook, Ill./Romeoville) took the loss on the mound to drop his record to 4-5. He allowed 11 runs on eight hits over 3.2 innings.

Brigham struckout the Pumas' four and five hitters in the first inning to get out of trouble after Saint Joseph's had two on with one out. However Saint Joseph's tallied six runs in the top of the third. Five more runs in the fourth chased Brigham from the game. The Pumas added three more runs in fifth and eighth. The contest was delayed for approximately 45 minutes in the seventh inning due to rain.

Householder gave Lewis a brief lead with a solo shot in the second. Junior Ryan McManaman (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) hit his second career home run in the fifth for Lewis' second run. Senior Chris McCall (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest/College of DuPage CC) homered to center field to start the ninth. Sophomore Richard Forkin (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport), Wido and McManaman all tallied RBIs in the ninth to make the final 17-6.

Saint Joseph's is now 29-17 (12-10 GLVC). Lewis is 17-27 (5-16 GLVC). The Pumas and Flyers square off for a doubleheader on Sunday at noon. It will be Senior Day for the Flyers.