Box Score
Winter Haven, Fla. – Behind a strong seven-inning outing on the mound from freshman
Sam Couch (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic), the Lewis University baseball team relaxed at the plate to collect an eight-inning rain-shortened 6-3 victory over Ashland on Thursday (March 6).
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The Flyers improve to 5-4 on the year while Ashland falls to 5-4 on the season.
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"Sam pitched great in his first collegiate start," Lewis head baseball coach
Tim McDonough said. "He kept the Ashland batters off balance and his performance was a big boost to the team."
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The Flyers got on the board in the third inning, as senior
Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) legged out a double to score senior
Alex Slaby (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport West). Senior
Kyle Kapka (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect) picked up his first of two RBI of the game in the inning as senior
Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) crossed home plate on Kapka's base hit. Junior
Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) drew a walk to force in Murray to push the Flyers lead to 3-0.
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Lewis tallied their fourth run in the fourth as Kapka collected his second RBI of the game.
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In the fifth, the Flyers scored two more runs to up their lead to 6-0 as Barajas and sophomore
Joel Rotkvich (Crestwood, Ill./St. Laurence) crossed the plate.
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Ashland tallied a single run in the bottom of the fifth and added two runs in their half of the seventh.
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"Today was one of the most complete games we have played this season," McDonough said. "We had strong pitching, got runs early and we were solid defensively."
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The Flyers next take on Wayne State for two on Friday (March 7) in Winter Haven, Fla., starting at 12 PM ET.