LEBANON, Ill. – Lewis baseball's push for a Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament berth received a major boost on Saturday (April 30) thanks to the Flyers' doubleheader sweep at McKendree. Lewis won both games in comeback fashion, defeating the Bearcats 8-7 in game one and 11-10 in game two.

"We swung the bats extremely well today and we found a way to get two big wins," Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. "At this point in the season it is all about accumulating wins. We were able to come out and get three this weekend and put ourselves in a good position going into next weekend."

Game One – Lewis 8, McKendree 7 (HTML Box | PDF Box)
The offense-filled seven inning opener saw Lewis rally back from deficits of 4-2 and 7-6.

The most important hit of the game came in the sixth inning. Down 7-6, sophomore Ethan Bloom (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) cracked a two-run home run to left center field to give Lewis an 8-7 lead they wouldn't relinquish. Senior Austin Mastela (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) had an infield single to start the frame.

The one-run lead held up after the Lewis bullpen put up three consecutive zeros to end the game. Sophomore Brady Kostecki (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic) and junior Nick Davito (Crest Hill, Ill./Lockport) threw a perfect fifth and sixth, respectively. In the seventh senior Phil Warner (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) retired the first two batters before a walk and an error opened the door for McKendree to threaten. But that is all they would do. Warner won the game with a strikeout of Chris Deaville to end the game with the bases loaded.

Kostecki earned the win for Lewis. He is now 1-1 in his first win as a Flyer. Warner picked up the save for Lewis. Daniel Todoschuk is 0-1 after earning the loss in relief for McKendree.

Mastela had three hits in the game, including a two-run home run in the first inning.

Game Two – Lewis 11, McKendree 10 (HTML Box | PDF Box)
The Beracats scored in each of the first four innings on their way to a 9-5 lead in game two. The only pause to McKendree's offensive blitz was five-run second inning for the Flyers. Lewis had five hits in the inning, including a two-RBI double by senior Joe Sparacio (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central).

The Lewis offense came alive in the top of the fifth following McKendree's four-run fourth. Freshman Brandon Post (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Elk Grove) had an RBI in the inning as Lewis advanced within two at 9-7. It stayed that score until the seventh when sophomore Sam Cybulski (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Lyons Township) doubled in a pair to tie it up. Sophomore Neal Tyrell (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) followed with a single to put Lewis up 10-9. Tyrell advanced to second on the throw and then scored on a single by Sparacio. Tyrell's insurance run would end up being the difference.

Warner came into pitch in the eighth with one out and runners on first and second. A walk and two strikeouts followed to get Lewis out of the jam. It was another tough spot in the ninth when McKendree put runners at second and third with no outs. Warner responded with a strikeout to get the first out. A ground out scored one run, but another strikeout left the tying run at third and gave Warner his second save of the day. He now owns six on the season.

Davito threw two scoreless innings in relief to get the win and move his record to 3-0. Logan Zachry is now 0-1 for McKendree with the loss.

"Phil and Nick were awesome coming out of the bullpen and getting big outs in both games," McDonough added.

The Flyers had 15 hits in game two with Sparacio, Tyrell and senior Kurt Becker (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) reach recording three. The only Lewis starter without a hit, Austin Schultz (Greensburg, Ind./Greensburg), picked up three walks and scored twice.

The doubleheader sweep halts a streak of nine-consecutive doubleheader splits for the Flyers.

Lewis improves to 25-18 (14-10 GLVC). McKendree falls to 14-30 (6-18 GLVC). Lewis closes out the regular season next weekend when Bellarmine comes to Brennan Field for a four-game series. First pitch on Saturday (May 7) is set for noon in Romeoville.