Lebanon, Ill. – The Lewis University baseball team split Saturday's doubleheader against McKendree in Lebanon, Ill., falling 5-4 in game one before bouncing back with a dominant 18-9 victory in game two.
GAME ONE RECAP
The Flyers struck first in the second inning after
Tylor Phommachanhom (Plainfield, Ill/Parkland CC) and
Kyle Peterson (Orland Park, Ill/Carl Sandburg) hit back-to-back singles. With the bases loaded,
Jimmy Spellman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College of Prep) delivered a two-RBI single, bringing home Peterson and Phommachanhom to give Lewis an early 2-0 lead.
Lewis starter
Tanner Johnson (Sulpher Springs, TX/Triton CC) and the Flyers' defense kept McKendree quiet through the first three innings, holding the Bearcats hitless and scoreless.
McKendree responded in the bottom of the fourth with a four-run inning. Gabe Deaver and Javy Garcia each launched solo home runs before Quest Hull added a two-RBI double to right center, giving the Bearcats a 4-2 advantage.
The Flyers answered in the sixth.
Cole Clemens (Marco Island, Flo.) crushed a solo home run to right center to cut the deficit to one. Later in the inning,
Constantine Coines (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) scored on a wild pitch to even the game at 4-4. Spellman and
Alex Chaltin (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) also added singles during the rally to keep the pressure on.
McKendree regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth when Quest Hull connected on a solo home run to right field, putting the Bearcats back in front 5-4.
Lewis threatened in the seventh as Phommachanhom singled and
Jackson Hunley (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) worked a walk, but McKendree held on to secure the one-run win.
GAME TWO RECAP
Lewis wasted no time getting on the board in the opening inning as
Constantine Coines (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South) doubled to right center and later scored on an RBI single up the middle from
Jimmy Spellman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College of Prep) to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead.
McKendree answered in the bottom half of the first, tying the game at 1-1 on an RBI fielder's choice from Sage McMinn.
The Flyers took control in the second inning with a four-run frame.
Kyle Peterson (Orland Park, Ill/Carl Sandburg) opened the inning with a single, and after the bases loaded, Coines drove in a run with an RBI single.
Chris Daugherty (Chicago, Ill/Brother Rice) and
Alex Chaltin (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) followed with RBI singles, while
John Henry Russell (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) added an RBI walk to extend the lead to 5-1.
Lewis broke the game wide open in the third inning with an explosive 11-run inning.
Jimmy Spellman (Chicago, Ill./Notre Dame College of Prep) opened the scoring with an RBI single before
Alex Chaltin (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook) delivered a two-RBI single to left.
Tylor Phommachanhom (Plainfield, Ill/Parkland CC) added an RBI groundout,
Jackson Hunley (Sun Prairie, Wis./Sun Prairie) drew an RBI walk, and
Cole Clemens (Marco Island, Flo.) launched a grand slam to right center to highlight the inning. Spellman capped off the rally with a two-run home run to left field as the Flyers surged ahead 16-1.
The offense kept rolling in the fourth as Hunley brought home
Tylor Phommachanhom (Plainfield, Ill/Parkland CC) with a sacrifice fly before Coines tripled to right center to score
Cole Clemens (Marco Island, Flo.), pushing the lead to 18-1.
Clemens finished with the biggest swing of the day with his third-inning grand slam, while Spellman added five RBIs and Coines, Chaltin, and Daugherty all contributed multiple hits in the win.
UP NEXT
The Flyers return to action Sunday, April 26, for the series finale against McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM.
