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Winter Haven, Fla. – The Lewis University baseball team's bats came to life a bit too late, falling 12-5 to No. 7 Grand Valley State on Tuesday (March 4) at Chain of Lakes #1 Field.
 
The Flyers fall to 4-4 on the year while the Lakers improve to 4-1 on the season.

"We're just not getting results," Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. "Hits aren't falling and starting pitching hasn't been consistent."

"We have to elevate our level of play, " McDonough continued. "We need to get our pitching, hitting and defense all clicking."
 
Grand Valley State got on the board in the bottom of first on a sacrifice fly and added two more runs on two hits in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
 
In the fourth inning, the Lakers had nine cross the plate on eight hits, including four for extra bases. Stuart Eisler topped off the scoring barrage with a two-run home run to left field to push Grand Valley State's score to 12-0.
 
Flyer pitchers were able to buckle down and silence Laker batters over the next four innings as the Lewis bats woke up.
 
Senior Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) led off the top of the seventh with a double down the left field line and advanced to third on a single by Jared Pyatt (Pekin, Ill./Pekin). Murray scored on as sophomore Brandon Collins (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way North) grounded out. Sophomore Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) reached the base paths after getting hit by a pitch, and advanced to second on an error by Grand Valley State's third baseman on a hit by junior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth), scoring Pyatt. Senior Marshall Escue (Washington, Ill./Washington Community) hit a scorching double down the line to score Mastela from third.
 
Pyatt picked up a RBI in the top of the eighth as Kane Lombardo (Forest Park, Ill./Nazareth) scored from third, adding fourth run on the board for the Flyers. In the top of the ninth Escue singled to left center to score Cale Robinson (Weldon, Ill./Clinton) to move the score to 12-5.
 
Flyer starter Kyle Klosak (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) (0-1) took the loss giving up 10 runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings of work. He also walked four and struck out two batters.
 
Grand Valley State's Evan Nietfeldt (2-0) collected the win tossing six scoreless innings, scattering two hits while striking out four and walking one.
 
The Flyers return to action on Thursday (March 6) when they take on Ashland at 10:45 AM ET in Winter Haven, Fla.