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

Lebanon, Ill. – Lewis University senior Jake Murray (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) stayed hot at the plate on Sunday (April 27), going 6-for-13 (.462), with two doubles and two home runs, as the baseball team split its doubleheader with McKendree at Hypes Field. The Bearcats took game one 12-3 while the Flyers won the nightcap by a score of 11-8.
 
The Flyers improve to 23-22 on the season and 15-16 in Great Lakes Valley Conference action while the Bearcats fall to 15-28 on the year and 10-22 in league play.
 
In the first game, the Flyers took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the third, getting runs on four hits including Murray's first home run of the day.
 
The Bearcats took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs on four hits, including a two-run blast by Steven Todoschuk, and a Flyer miscue.
 
McKendree put the game out of reach of the Flyers with an eight-run fifth inning, four of which came on a grand slam by Todoschuk.
 
Lewis starter Sam Couch (Bolingbrook, Ill./Joliet Catholic) threw four plus innings in the loss. Couch (6-3) gave up nine runs, six earned, while walking six and striking out three.
 
"We got off to a good start in the first game," Lewis head baseball coach Tim McDonough said. "But we got complacent and McKendree took it to us."
 
"Sam wasn't his usual sharp self on the mound and we let him down defensively."
 
McKendree hurler Josh Tonozzi picked up the win, throwing a complete game. Tonozzi (2-2) gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out three.
 
In the night cap, McKendree held a 5-0 lead through three innings. The Bearcats got a single run in the first and third innings but put three runs on the scoreboard in the second inning on four hits.
 
Murray led off the fourth inning with a solo homer to left. Senior Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) followed with a walk and scored on a single by senior Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic). Sophomore Joe Sparacio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) crossed the plate on a single by classmate Joel Rotkvich (Crestwood, Ill./St. Laurence), to cut into the Bearcats lead at 5-3.
 
The Flyers added three more runs on three hits and two McKendree miscues in the fifth inning to take a 6-5 lead. Murray led off with a double, followed by a single by Albano. Sophomore Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) collected the RBI when Murray scored on a Bearcat error. Sparacio singled before Albano scored as junior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) reached on an error by Tony Kossina. Thomas hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Mastela for the third Flyer run.
 
Four more insurance runs came on two hits and a McKendree error in the top of the sixth inning for the Flyers. Senior Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) hit a one-out solo home run before Murray scored the second run on a passed ball after reaching on a two-base error and took third on a wild pitch. Thomas picked up two RBI with a single to center field for the Flyers.
 
Barajas hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to score Mastela as the Flyers held an 11-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth.
 
McKendree was able to score three runs on three hits, including a solo shot by Kyle Rutledge, and one Lewis miscue. Lewis starter Brad Elmore (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) got a groundout to second base by Kyle Jackson  for the complete game win over McKendree. Elmore (2-1) gave up eight runs, five earned, on 13 hits, struck out five and walked three.
 
"I was proud of the way we battled in the second game," McDonough said. "We could have folded the tents after they go up 5-1 but Brad settled in and pitched great while the offense did a good job sticking to the game plan."
 
McKendree reliever A.J. Wise took the loss, only going 1.1 innings on the mound. Wise (0-3) gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits.
 
Lewis kicks off a four-game series at Brennan Field against Bellarmine by retiring Lewis University's all-time winningest baseball coach Irish O'Reilly's No. 14 jersey prior to the 12 PM doubleheader start on Saturday (May 3).