Romeoville, Ill. – Cole Clemens (Marco Island, Flo.) walk-off home run in the eighth inning proved to be the difference as the Lewis University baseball team defeated #24 Missouri S&T 18-7 today (April 17), improving their record to 18-20. It marked the Flyers first win against a nationally ranked opponent this season as well. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 
The Flyers started the game trailing by the end of the third inning, after Denton Damgaard and Drew Baugus scored for the hosts in the second and third inning respectively. A home run by Missouri's Nick Krodinger at the top of the fourth saw them trail by three runs. This was the last time in the game that the Flyers were behind on the scoreboard. 

Lewis responded at the bottom of the fourth by scoring two runs that came from Constantine Coins and Chris Daugherty (Chicago, Ill/Brother Rice). The Flyers turned it around completely in the fifth inning, holding the hosts to no runs, no hits and no players left on base. It was Lewis' turn at the bat now, and they changed the course of the game with a seven-run inning at the bottom of the fifth. With Cole Clemens (Marco Island, Flo.) on second and Coins on first after a walk, Jimmy Spellman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College of Prep) singled to left field but advanced to second base on a throwing error, while Coins advanced to third and Clemens reached home plate to score his first run of the game. Coins and Spellman scored the Flyers' next two runs, giving them the lead of the game. Jayden Gonzalez (Chicago, Ill.) and Alex Chaltin (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) on an unearned run, Tylor Phommachanhom (Plainfield, Ill/Parkland CC) and John Henry Russell (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) would score the Flyers' last two runs of the inning, closing their seven-inning run.  

Daugherty scored the Flyers' only run in the sixth inning, while the visitors added two more runs. At the bottom of the seventh, Phommachanhom scored on a wild pitch, while Coins, Clemens and Spellman all continued to add to their run total for the game. After the visitors failed to score any runs at the top of the eighth, the Flyers had the opportunity to close out the game. With Kyle Peterson (Orland Park, Ill/Carl Sandburg) on first base after a walk, Phommachanhom on second, and Rusell on third, the Flyers had the bases loaded. Clemens hit a grand slam that sealed the run-rule win over the nationally ranked Miners. 

UP NEXT 
The Lewis University baseball team will look to keep their momentum going against Missouri S&T tomorrow (April 18), as they will face each other again as part of a four-game series, with the doubleheader set for 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. CT. 

For the latest news and updates on Lewis Baseball, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @lewisbaseball on Instagram and @LewisBaseball on X.