WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Lewis baseball slammed five solo home runs in the opener of a doubleheader sweep of Findlay on Sunday (March 4) afternoon. Lewis took the first game 6-1 and the nightcap 6-4.
 
In game one, Lewis scored in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by sophomore Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs). Junior Michael Schroeder (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton) (Crown Point, Ind./ North Newton/Triton) started the second inning with a solo home run. Albano hit a solo home run in the third before Schroeder hit his second of the game in the third to make the score 4-1. Solo home runs by junior Brian Norwood (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) in the fifth and senior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) in the sixth rounded out the scoring.
 
“The wind was blowing out and we took advantage but we had a good game one at the plate all around,” Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. “Bolling got on base four times, Schroeder was 3-for-3 in his first game at Lewis and Ben was good all day.”
 
While the Lewis bats were celebrating the opening of the 2012 season with some offensive fireworks; Lewis pitcher senior Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) was keeping the Oilers from doing the same. Lahey allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts in a complete game seven inning performance. The Oilers only run came in the second to tie the game up.
 
“It was a tough day to pitch and it was good to see Pat come out of the gates with a good effort,” McDonough said. “He set the tone and was very efficient, throwing around 80 pitches for the complete game.”
 
The Lewis offense started where it left off in game two by tallying a run in the first inning. Bolling began the game with a walk. He stole second and then Albano knocked him home with a two-out RBI single. It was the same combination in the third with Albano knocking in Bolling with a one-out single. Same story, different cast of characters in the fourth as senior Michael Wido (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) singled, stole second and was driven in with one out by sophomore Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic). Thomas' RBI gave Lewis a 3-1 lead which didn't last long as Findlay tied it up with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Following a scoreless fifth, Lewis took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the sixth. Schroeder and Thomas each batted in a run in the frame. Findlay scored a lone run in the sixth to cut the Lewis lead to a single run. A Norwood sacrifice fly in the seventh scored freshman Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) to make the score 6-4. The insurance run was set up by a Barajas hit by pitch to start the frame. That would be the final after senior Drew Hicks (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) earned a four-out  save. Three of the outs came by way of a strikeout.
 
“Ben had two big hits early to put us up,” McDonough said. “After they tied it at three it was good to see us come back and score some runs. That's a good way to win a game early in the season.”
 
Sophomore Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) picked up the win for Lewis. He went five innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits.
 
“Tommy was good, not great, but pitched well enough to win,” McDonough said. “Seeing Drew come in to shut the door was outstanding.”
 
Lewis finished the day 7-for-7 in steal attempts.
 
The Flyers are now 2-0. Findlay falls to 0-2. Lewis plays Ashland on Monday at 3 p.m. ET.