Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University baseball team will make their second-straight appearance in the 2013 NCAA Division II Baseball Championship Midwest Regional, when the fifth-seeded Flyers take on the second-seeded and regional-host Drury University, on Thursday, May 16 in Springfield, Mo. First pitch has been set for 6 PM at Meador Park.
 
The Flyers, 31-16, have not faced the Panthers, 40-14, this season.
 
“First and foremost, I am happy for the team,” Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. “Especially for the seniors who made this happen, to be rewarded for the overall solid season they have had.”
 
“We are excited to be playing in the tournament,” McDonough continued. “We are confident heading into the games and will be ready for the challenge.”
 
GLVC All-Conference First Team selection junior pitcher Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central), who tops the conference with a 1.30 ERA, leads the Flyers on the mound with a 10-2 record in 90.1 innings pitched this season.
 
Lewis' bats are jump-started by senior Michael Schroeder (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton), with a .345 batting average, 16 doubles and 37 RBI. Junior Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) leads the team with nine home runs and a .611 slugging percentage.
 
Other match-ups in the double-elimination regional has top-seeded Ashland facing sixth-seed Bellarmine, while the third-seeded Grand Valley State will take on the fourth-seeded Saint Joseph's.
 
Regional champions will advance to the double-elimination championship finals May 25-June 1 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.