Box Score
Winter Haven, Fla. – The Lewis University baseball team combined four hits with five walks in the bottom of the ninth inning to score eight runs for the 8-7 come-from-behind win over Ashland on Saturday (March 1).
 
The Flyers improve to 3-1 on the year while the Eagles fall to 1-1 on the season.
 
"We will take the win," Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. "We didn't play the best baseball for eight innings but we fought back, Ashland didn't execute and we took advantage."
 
Ashland starter Jake Baldwin held Lewis bats quiet, as the Flyers headed into the bottom of the ninth down 7-0. Junior Kane Lombardo (Forest Park, Ill./Nazareth) and sophomore Cale Robinson (Weldon, Ill./Clinton) drew back-to-back walks and junior Jared Pyatt (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) took first after he was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
 
Junior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) drew a walk to force in a run before freshman Grant Bridgewater (Bay City, Mich./Bay City Western) collected his first collegiate hit to right field to score the second Flyer run of the inning. Seniors Alex Slaby (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport West) and Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) picked up back-to-back singles to score two more runs, before Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) and Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) reached base on back-to-back walks to push the score to 7-6.
 
Lombardo, at the plate for the second time in the inning, hit a chopper up the middle of the field. Ashland's second baseman's throw to the plate went wide which allowed Buddle and Murray to score for the Flyer victory.
 
Lewis starter senior Kendall Paluch (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic) went seven innings for Lewis, before senior Cory Bonner (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs) took over in the eighth. Freshman Sam Couch (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic) collected the win for the Flyers after tossing the ninth.
 
After Baldwin, the Flyers were able to work through four Ashland pitchers in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Lewis is back in action in Winter Haven, Fla., on Sunday (March 2) with a doubleheader against Findlay. First pitch is set for 12:45 PM ET.