JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – Lewis baseball earned a split with Maryville on Monday afternoon in a doubleheader that was first moved from Saturday to Monday, then canceled due to snow and then rescheduled late Sunday night once a neutral site artificial turf field became available in Jacksonville, Ill. Lewis lost the first game 5-3 and won the second 6-2.
The Flyers earned a win in game two thanks to a seven inning complete game victory by junior Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South). Lahey (4-1) allowed two runs on four hits with a walk and five strikeouts. He allowed hits in only the fourth and fifth innings. Maryville scored a single run in each of the innings.
Lewis jumped on the Saints with one run in the second on an RBI fielder's choice by sophomore Ian O'Connor (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) and three runs in the third. Junior Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini) (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage), senior Tyler Newsome (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist) (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist/South Suburban CC) and freshman Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) each had an RBI in the third.
Newsome recorded his second RBI of the game in the fifth on a single. Newsome then scored in the seventh for Lewis' final run on a bases loaded walk by junior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton).
In game one, both teams scored a run in the first inning. Lewis took the lead 2-1 with a run in the top of the third on an RBI sacrifice fly by freshman Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) that scored senior Mike Vucsko (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist) (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist). It was Thomas' second RBI of the day after doubling a run in during the first inning.
Maryville tied it in the bottom of the sixth with a run. They also chased starter Tyler Newsome (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist) in the inning. Newsome would earn a no-decision, allowing eight hits, two runs (one earned) in 5.1 innings. Senior Joey Gradney (Rantoul, Ill./Rantoul) (Rantoul, Ill./Rantoul/Cleveland State), who entered in the sixth, gave up three runs to Maryville in the seventh to take the loss. Gradney's record falls to 1-3.
Lewis added a run in the top of the ninth and had the tying runners on first and third, but couldn't get the clutch hit to tie it.
The Flyers failed to record a hit from the fifth to eighth inning.
Maryville is now 5-12 (1-5 Great Lakes Valley Conference). The Flyers are now 10-6 (3-3 GLVC). Lewis is back in action on Wednesday with a non-conference road game at St. Xavier. First pitch is 3 p.m.
Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edufor further information.
##LEWIS##
