SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Junior Joe Sparacio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) hit two home runs in game one and another in game two as the Lewis University baseball team split a Great Lakes Valley Conference doubleheader at Drury for a second straight day on Monday (March 16) afternoon. Lewis won Game One 11-6, but fell in Game Two, 13-7.

Game One: Lewis 11, Drury 6 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
Sparacio went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, thanks to a pair of home runs in the opener.

He opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the second inning, scoring freshman Ethan Bloom (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) to make it a 2-0 game. Lewis extended its lead to 4-0 thanks to two runs in the fourth with RBI from senior Kane Lombardo (Forest Park, Ill./Nazareth) and freshman Neal Tyrell (Minooka, Ill./Minooka). Bloom, Lombardo and Tyrell all finished the contest with three base hits.

Drury made it a closer game with three runs in the fifth, chasing freshman starter Ryan Fox (Dayton, Ohio/Centerville) from the game. The Flyer bullpen held Drury to just three runs the rest of the way.

Sparacio responded for the Flyer offense by leading off the top of the sixth with a solo shot to left field, extending Lewis' advantage to 5-3.

Drury rallied in the bottom half of the frame, as they loaded the bases with two outs. Lewis head coach Tim McDonough brought Mike Enriquez (Evergreen Park, Ill./Brother Rice) to the mound and he induced an inning-ending ground out to stop the threat.

Lewis scored six runs in the seventh to end the drama, highlighted by an Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) home run.

Fox (2-1) gets the win for Lewis after allowing three runs in 4.2 innings. The freshman didn't walk a Panther and had three strikeouts. Drury starter Luke Burnidge (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season, giving up four runs and eight hits in 4.2 innings pitched.

Game Two: Drury 13, Lewis 7 (HTML Box / PDF Box)
Drury took over game two with two runs in the first, two in the second, three in the third and five in the fourth.

The bright spots for the Flyers came at the plate. Sparacio hit his third home run of the day on a solo shot in the fourth. Junior Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) smacked a home run to leadoff the second. Mastela closed the home run brigade in the ninth with a leadoff home run.
 
Freshman starting pitcher Eric Luecht (Lake In The Hills, Ill./Huntley) took the loss for the Flyers. Luecht (0-2) allowed seven runs in 3.0 innings pitched. Drury starter Ryan Colombo allowed five runs (two earned) in 6.0 innings to get the win and move his record to 1-1.

Drury is now 5-7 (2-2 GLVC). The Flyers are 6-6 (2-2 GLVC). Lewis continues GLVC play on Saturday (March 21) in the 2015 home opener against William Jewell. First pitch in Saturday's doubleheader is noon at Brennan Field.