Box Score  / Box Score (PDF)

Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University baseball team overcame a three hour delay and cold temperatures to defeat Illinois-Springfield, 4-2, on Friday (March 22) in Great Lakes Valley Conference match-up at Brennan Field. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was cancelled due to weather.
 
The Flyers improve to 8-3 on the season and 2-1 in GLVC play while the Prairie Stars fall to 2-8 and on the year and 1-4 in league play.
 
“It was a well played game by both sides,” Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. “We did just enough offensively got give us the cushion we needed to win.”
 
Senior Ian O'Connor (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) led off the Flyers' third inning with a double to the centerfield gap. With two outs, redshirt senior Zach Stetson (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) doubled in O'Connor for the first Flyer run. In the next at-bat, junior Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) doubled in in Stetson to put Lewis up 2-0.
 
UIS answered with a run in bottom half of the fifth inning. After Adam Unes got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, the Prairie Stars moved him up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Logan Frye. Unes took third on a single by Tyler Lau and crossed the plate when Trevor Johnson grounded out to second base.
 
The Prairie Stars tied the game in the sixth inning with a homerun by Blake Baker.
 
The Flyers regained the lead in the seventh when sophomore Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) doubled in junior Kyle Kapka (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect) who drew a walk led off the inning.

Lewis tacked on an insurance run in the eighth inning. Stetson led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on Murray's sacrifice bunt. Senior Michael Schroeder (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton) picked up the RBI with a ground out to the UIS shortstop.
 
Lewis junior pitcher Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) (2-1) picked up the victory, tossing eight innings as he scattered five hits. He gave up two runs and struck out four UIS batters. Senior Derek Thomas (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) (1) picked up the save, pitching the ninth inning.
 
UIS' Stephen Segal (1-2) earned the loss, giving up three runs on six hits in seven innings of work. He walked one and struck out five. Josh Matson pitched two innings in relief for UIS, giving up one run on one hit and struck out three.
 
The Flyers and Prairie Stars will meet again on Saturday (March 23) for another GLVC doubleheader. First pitch at Brennan Field is set for 12 PM.