ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis University's baseball's team dropped the opener of its four-game series at 13th ranked Illinois Springfield 8-7 on Thursday afternoon in Springfield, Ill. The Flyers fall to 10-17-1, 6-7 GLVC while UIS improves to 26-6, 6-3 GLVC.

The Prairie Stars struck first scoring twice in the bottom of the first on three hits. Asher Bradd led off with a triple and scored om Brandon Brannon's single. Kale Youngquist grounded into a double play to score Bannon to give UIS a 2-0 lead.
 
The Prairie Stars added to their lead scoring one in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Bannon that scored Bradd from third to make it 3-0.
 
Lewis answered scoring two of their own in the fifth. David Ascencio (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield Central) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Ian Nguyen (Anoka, Minn./Coons Rapids) who singled to lead off the inning. Michael Alt (Kimberly, Wis./Kimberly) reached on a fielder's choice scoring Patrick Keaty (South Elgin, Ill./South Elgin) from third who singled earlier in the inning to bring the Flyers within one.
 
UIS scored two more in the bottom of the fifth on a double by Youngquist which scored Zion Pettigrew and a single from Nick Mayerhofer's scoring Youngquist to extend the lead back to three.
 
The Flyers exploded for four runs on four hits and an error in the top half of the sixth. Jason Krol (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence) singled to score Gavin Kriegel (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire) who reached via an error by the first baseman. After a Nguyen bunt single, Keaty doubled through the left side to score Krol. Nguyen scored from third on a wild pitch to tie the game and Thomas Fox (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian) singled to score Keaty giving Lewis a 6-5 lead.
 
The Flyers increased their lead to 7-5 in the top of the eight as Fox doubled home Nguyen who reached on a hit by pitch.
 
UIS got a run back in the bottom of the eight as Austin Alderman led off the inning with a homerun to cut the lead to 7-6.
 
The Prairie Stars scored two in the ninth to beat the Flyers. Bradd led off with a triple followed by a Bannon RBI single to knot the game at 7. Pettigrew walked and Youngquist reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Bannon scored on a balk to give the Prairie Stars the walk-off victory.
 
Lewis out UIS 11-10 in the contest and were led by Fox with four hits and two RBI while Nguyen added three hits and Keaty had two hits.
 
Matt Helwig (Mokena, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) (1-3) suffered the loss giving up two runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout in one inning pitched. UIS pitcher Brenden Anderson (2-0) picked up the win pitching a perfect ninth inning.
 
The Flyers continue their series with the Prairie Stars on Friday with a doubleheader starting at noon in Springfield.