Box Score Box Score (pdf)Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University baseball team defeated area rival St. Francis (Ill.) 9-8, after junior catcher
Kelton Zimmerman (Glen Ellyn, Ill./St. Francis) singled in pinch runner
Alex Slaby (Davenport, Iowa/Davenport West) from second in the bottom of the ninth at Brennan Field on Tuesday (April 22).
With the win the Flyers improve to 20-19 on the season while the Saints move to 25-16 on the year.
"We got a lot of contributions today from different guys who don't get a chance to play a whole lot," Lewis head baseball coach
Tim McDonough said. "Anytime you can get a win over a local rival, you feel good about getting back on the winning side of things."
Lewis junior
Jared Pyatt (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) went 3-for-3 against the Saints, with a two-run home run and a solo blast to right field. Pyatt led off the ninth with a single to the left side of the infield, before Slaby pinch ran for him.
The Flyers held a 4-2 lead after three innings, but the Saints came back in the top of the fourth to score three runs on two hits to jump ahead 5-4.
Lewis tied the game at 5-all in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore
Joel Rotkvich (Crestwood, Ill./St. Laurence) scored on a balk by St. Francis pitcher Kyle Cunningham.
St. Francis regained the lead in the fifth, then added two more runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 8-5.
The Flyers cut into the Saints lead in the bottom of the sixth when junior
Josh Walinski (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel) singled in Rotkvich from second base.
Lewis added two more runs to tie the game at 8-all in the seventh inning after Zimmerman singled in senior
Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North). Rotkvich hit a sacrifice fly to left field to push Pyatt across the plate.
Rotkvich, moving to the mount after playing eight innings at second base, was able to get the third out after allowing a walk in the ninth inning. Rotkvich (1-0) collected the win after tossing an inning of relief while striking out one. At the plate, he went 3-for-3 with a double and two stolen bases.
The Flyers next head on the road to Kenosha, Wis., to take on UW-Parkside on Wednesday (April 23) for a GLVC doubleheader starting at 12 PM.
