WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Lewis baseball suffered their first loss of the 2012 season on Monday (March 5) afternoon due to a 7-3 setback to Ashland.
 
The Eagles got out of the gates fast with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Ashland added a lone run in the fourth. It stayed that way until Lewis plated three in the top of the sixth.
 
The sixth inning rally started with a one-out single by junior Michael Schroeder (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton) (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton/Triton). Sophomore Kyle Huber (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech) followed with a walk. Sophomore Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) tripled to score them both. Senior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) followed with a sacrifice fly.
 
It cut the deficit to 4-3 but it didn't stay a one-run game for long as Ashland followed with two in the bottom half of the frame.
 
Junior Matt Frahm (McLean, Ill./Olympia) (McLean, Ill./Olympia) started for the Flyers and went six innings. Five of the six runs he allowed were earned. He struckout six Eagles and didn't record a walk. His record falls to 0-1.
 
“Today came down to two-out hits,” Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. “Matt pitched well but couldn't get out of an inning when he needed to. Credit Ashland, they had a good approach at the plate and when they had runners on they capitalized. We had some opportunities to chip away but when you spot a team three runs you are playing up hill.”
 
Ashland added one in the eighth off junior Kegan Banks (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs) (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs/Blinn CC) in Banks' Lewis debut. Freshman Phil Warner (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) pitched a scoreless seventh in his collegiate debut.
 
Schroeder finished 3-for-4 with a run scored. Senior Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini) (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage) was 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
 
Lewis is 2-1. Ashland improves to 3-1. Brad Thomas picked up the win for Ashland.
 
The Flyers play Maryville on Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.