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AUBURNDALE, Fla. – A five run eighth and a three run ninth inning helped Lewis baseball rally for a 14-7 win over Findlay Wednesday (March 4) morning in Florida.

Lewis pounded out 20 hits on their way to the football-like score of 14-7. Every Lewis starter recorded a hit with junior Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) going 4-of-6 with two RBI and a run scored. Junior Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) knocked in four runs on three hits with two runs scored. Junior Brandon Collins (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way North) also had three hits. Collins also scored twice and knocked in two. Each of the three recorded a double for one of their hits. Senior designated hitter Mark Kornacker (Lemont, Ill./Lemont) totaled three singles with a run scored and an RBI.
 
Lewis started freshman Dalton Hottle (Monmouth, Ill./Monmouth-Roseville) on the mound. He gave up three runs in 5.1 innings but didn't factor in the decision. Freshman Mike Enriquez (Evergreen Park, Ill./Brother Rice) came in for Hottle and was cruising until a couple Findlay walks with two outs in the seventh ignited the Oilers' offense. Findlay scored four runs, all with two outs to take a 7-6 lead. This came after a three-spot by Lewis in the top of the seventh just put the Flyers up 6-3.

Findlay's lead would quickly evaporate. The first two Flyers reached in the top of the eighth. Freshman Neal Tyrell (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) then laid down a sacrifice bunt that Findlay misplayed. A sacrifice fly by senior Mike Barajas (Chicago, Ill./Nazareth) followed to make it a tie game at seven. Mastela trailed with a single and then Collins and Becker each doubled to really open it up.

"I was proud of the effort today," Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. "We struggled a little bit offensively early on but the guys made some great adjustments and we were able to put together a couple of great innings."

Oilers reliever Anthony Ondrejcak (0-1) was given the loss in relief after allowing five runs. Lewis sophomore Brad Elmore (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) (1-0) was the winning pitcher. He allowed two hits in an inning.
 
Findlay falls to 2-4 with the loss. Lewis improves to 3-3. The Flyers take Thursday off before returning to the field on Friday (March 6) for a 10:30 a.m. ET first pitch against No. 14 Grand Valley State.