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SAUGET, Ill. – Fifth seeded Lewis lost a 2011 Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Tournament opening round game on Thursday 5-2 to fourth seeded Quincy at GCS Ballpark. The Flyers had their chances but left 12 runners on base, including nine in the first three innings.

Senior Tyler Newsome (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist) (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist/South Suburban) singled to drive in the first run of the game in the third inning. Senior Richard Forkin (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport) (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport) scored on the play. Quincy's Mitchell Broughton and Wade Koester hit back-to-back home runs with two outs in the bottom of the third to give Quincy their first advantage of the game at 2-1. Lewis tied it with a two-out rally in the fourth that saw freshman Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) earn a bases loaded walk.

It stayed tied until the sixth inning when Quincy tallied a run. It could have been worse though. Junior Drew Hicks (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) got out of the bases loaded, no-outs jam with only the one run scoring. Lewis recorded the first two outs after junior left fielder Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini) (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage) threw out Quincy's runner trying to score from third for a 7-2 double play. Before the next pitch was thrown, Hicks whirled and picked off Quincy's runner at second to end the inning. Hicks would then pickoff another runner at second in the seventh inning.

Sophomore Brian Norwood (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) singled to lead off the eighth inning but was stranded at third to end the frame. Quincy then added two runs in the eighth to make the final 5-2.

“We got leadoff runners on early but didn't execute with runners in scoring position,” head coach Tim McDonough said.

Lewis had leadoff off doubles in each of the first three innings, however Forkin was the only Flyer to come around and score.

Freshman Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) (New Lenox/Lincoln Way Central) started and went 5.0 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. His record is now 3-4.

“It is cliché, but Tommy was workmanlike today and he more than gave us a chance to win,” McDonough said.

The Lewis defense did all they could to help out as the Flyers recorded four double plays and no errors.

Quincy improves to 32-17 while Lewis drops to 23-17. The Flyers play the loser of No. 1 seed Southern Indiana and No. 8 seed Rockhurst tonight at 7 p.m.