Romeoville, Ill. - The Lewis University baseball team salvaged a series split with Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division leading Southern Indiana, as the Screaming Eagles took the opener, 9-1, while the Flyers rallied for the 5-4 win in the nightcap at Brennan Field on Sunday (Apr. 23).

With the split, Lewis is now 12-29 on the season and 6-14 in GLVC action, while the Screaming Eagles move to 24-16 on the campaign and 15-5 in conference play.

Lewis returns to action on Thursday (Apr. 27), as the Flyers head to Joliet to take on local rival St. Francis (Ill.) for a 7 PM first pitch.

GAME ONE
Southern Indiana 9, Lewis 1
WP - Nowak (5-3); LP - Wright (0-3)
HR - Deom (2), McNamara (6), Rutherford (3)

Southern Indiana scored four runs in the first two innings off of Lewis starting pitcher Charlie Wright (Lemont, Ill./Lemont), as the Screaming Eagles cruised to the 9-1 win in the opener.

Wright allowed four runs and four hits in 1.1 innings of work, while walking three batters and striking out two.

Lewis sophomore left fielder Connor Rutherford (DePere, Wis./DePere) provided the only offensive highlights for the Flyers, picking up three of the Flyers' eight hits. Rutherford went 3-for-3 at the dish, including a solo home run in the third inning.

GAME TWO
Lewis 5, Southern Indiana 4
WP - Shake (2-4); LP - Hagedorn (1-3)
HR - Collins (5)

Lewis needed two rallies to salvage the series split, but a RBI single in the eighth inning by freshman catcher Anthony Rios (Lemont, Ill. /St. Laurence) helped cement the 5-4 win over Southern Indiana.

Rios was afforded this opportunity following a RBI double by junior third baseman Trayvon Johnson (Berkeley, Ill. /St. Joseph's) that tied the game up at 4-apiece. Johnson (3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 doubles, run) moved to third base on a wild pitch from losing pitcher Tyler Hagedorn and scored the go-ahead run on Rios' single.

The Flyers first rally from a 3-0 deficit culminated in a game-tying solo home run by senior center fielder Brandon Collins (Tinley Park, Ill./Lincoln Way North). Collins' blast in the seventh inning evened the score up at 3-apiece.

USI added a run in the eighth inning on a Drake McNamara to give the Screaming Eagles a 4-3 advantage and setting the stage for Johnson and Rios' heroics.

Lewis pitcher Alex Shake (Glasford, Ill./Canton) tossed five innings of one run, two-hit relief to earn the victory for the Flyers.