Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  / Game 1 Box Score (pdf) | Game 2 Box Score (pdf)

Evansville, Ind. – The Lewis University baseball team's bats fell silent as the Flyers dropped a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader, 3-1 and 5-1, to No. 18 Southern Indiana on Friday (April 18) at USI Field.
 
The Flyers move to 19-17 on the year and 12-11 in the GLVC while the Screaming Eagles improve to 28-8 on the season and 20-4 in the conference.
 
"While we are disappointed in the results today, I thought we played well in all phases of the game," Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. "Southern Indiana is a good team, who is on a roll right now.

"We have to come out with the same approach tomorrow and get a win or two."
 
In the first game, USI got on the board first in the second inning capitalizing on a lead-off double by Jonathon Wandling, when Trent Gunn picked up the RBI to give the home squad the lead.
 
The Flyers answered in the fifth when senior Alex Slaby (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport West) hit a single back up the middle of the field to score senior Kyle Kapka (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect) from third. Kapka led off the inning with a single through the left side of the field and advanced a base on a sacrifice bunt by junior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) and on a groundout by sophomore Joel Rotkvich (Crestwood, Ill./St. Laurence).
 
USI quickly regained the lead, scoring a run in the bottom of the fifth again capitalizing on a lead-off double. The Screaming Eagles also added a run in the sixth inning to go up 3-1 on the Flyers.
 
Lewis starter Eann Cox (Erie, Ill./Erie) picked up the loss in an eight-inning effort on the mound. Cox (4-4) gave up three runs on eight hits, while striking out five and walking two.
 
USI hurler Ben Wright (5-1) collected the win, giving up one run on seven hits over 6.2 innings of work. Wright also struck out three and walked one. USI's Matt Chavarria collected his eighth save of the season after tossing a scoreless ninth inning and striking out two.
 
In the second game, USI quickly took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, collecting runs on a hit and a Lewis miscue. The home squad added another run on a walk, one hit and a Flyer error.
 
The Flyers struck back in fourth inning, when senior Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) doubled to right center then advanced to third when USI's right fielder Kyle Kempf mishandled the ball. Sophomore Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field to score Albano.
 
USI added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on three hits, including two doubles.
 
Lewis starter Kendall Paluch (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic) was credited with the loss, giving up five runs, two earned, in five innings of work. Paluch (2-6) also struck out one.
 
Wandling (6-1) threw the second game for USI, giving up one unearned run and striking out nine in seven innings of work.
 
The Flyers and Screaming Eagles return to USI Field for two more GLVC games on Saturday (April 19) with the first pitch set for 12 PM.