JOPLIN, Mo. - The Lewis University baseball team won, 7-4, over Northwest Missouri State Friday (Feb. 16) in the Flyers' season opener.

TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 1-0 | NW Missouri State 5-4

SUMMARY
A pair of walks followed by two wild pitches brought Michael Alt (Appleton, Wis./Kimberly) home for Lewis' first run of the season before its first out. Thomas Fox (Norfolk, Va./Norfolk Christian) later doubled home Mikey Kocen (Beach Park, Ill.) in the top of the third to make it 2-0 Flyers.

In the fourth, Kocen reached on an error that scored Alt and Jason Krol (Chicago, Ill./St. Laurence), increasing the lead to 4-0. Michael Sclafani (Oak Brook, Ill./Montini Catholic) (1-0) shined on the mound, earning the win by going five innings, allowing no runs on four hits, striking out four batters and not issuing a single walk.

Northwest Missouri State got two runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth. Lewis responded in the top of the seventh as George Bilecki (Chicago, Ill./Marist) hit a leadoff double, followed by a single from Cain Headrick (Custer Park, Ill./Providence Catholic) to bring him home.

Krol hit home Headrick later in the inning, and scored on an error to make it 7-2 Flyers. Krol would finish the game 3/4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI.

The Bearcats scored two more in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-4, but Collin Amsden (Oak Forest, Ill./Marist) shut the door with a 1-2-3 ninth inning for his first collegiate save.

UP NEXT
Lewis baseball stays in Joplin to face Missouri Southern State Saturday (Feb. 17) at 1 p.m. CT.