AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Lewis University's baseball team fell to Saginaw Valley State 6-5 Tuesday afternoon at Lake Myrtle Park. The Flyers drop to 2-7 on the season, while the Cardinals improve to 4-5.
 
The Flyers scored two runs early in the top half of the first on four hits. Thomas Fox (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian) started the rally with a double down the right field line and would score two batters later on a triple in the right center gap by Angelo Cantelo (Blue Island, Ill./Marian Catholic). Michael Alt (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) followed with an infield single to score Cantelo from third.
 
The Cardinals answered with two of their own in the bottom of the first on two hits, which were highlighted by a double by Reed Raymond to score Colin Cornwell, who led off with a single, and a sacrifice fly by Todd Paperd to bring in Raymond later in the inning.
 
Lewis scored two more in the top of the third on two hits. Alt singled to left field followed by a single down the right field line by Gavin Kriegel (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) to score Cantelo, who led the inning off with a walk. A sacrifice fly to center field by Davey Fitzpatrick (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) later scored Alt.
 
The Flyers scored one in the top of the fourth after a leadoff triple by Patrick Keaty (South Elgin, Ill./South Elgin), who scored on a sacrifice fly by Julian Everett (Frankfort, Ill/Lincoln Way East), making the score 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Saginaw Valley State took the lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs on four hits with singles by Tucker Roe, Maven Gordon, Reed Raymond and a double by Hayden Jatczak.
 
After an hour rain delay, the Flyers threatened in the top of the ninth with singles by Kriegel and Cain Headrick (Custer Park, Ill./Providence Catholic), putting runners on first and third with two outs. The Cardinal pitcher Hunter Merillat was able to put Fitzpatrick down on strikes to end the game.
 
Michael Sclafani (Oak Brook, Ill./Montini Catholic) (0-2) suffered the loss giving up two hits, three walks, while striking out three in three innings of work. Cardinals' pitcher Chase Gruno (1-1) picked up his first win of the season pitching 1.2 innings giving up two hits and striking out two. Merillat notched his first save of the season, coming in with two outs to strike out the final batter.

Kriegel led Lewis with three hits, while Fox, Cantelo and Keaty had two hits each. 

Lewis returns to the diamond Thursday as it takes on Northwood in a doubleheader at Pat Thomas Stadium in Leesburg, Florida starting at 10:00 a.m.