AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Lewis baseball swept a doubleheader from Mary (N.D.) on Monday afternoon. Lewis won the first game 6-2. The Flyers took the second 10-9 in eight innings of the scheduled seven-inning contest. Junior Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage) had the game winning RBI single on the first pitch of his plate appearance.
In game two, Lewis scored five runs in the bottom of the second only to see Mary tie it up with five in the top of the third. Lewis scored one in the bottom of the third. Mary then took the lead with two in the fourth. Lewis quickly tied it up with a run in the fourth. It stayed tied at seven until the eighth inning when Mary scored twice. They were the only two runs senior Matt Zicher (Arlington Heights, Ill./Hersey/Triton) allowed in four innings of relief.
Down 9-7 in the eighth, Lewis’ eventual rally started with a fly out. Walks by senior Miguel Amesquita (Hometown, Ill./Brother Rice/Triton) and junior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) with a single by senior Mike Vucsko (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist) in the middle loaded the bases for senior Richard Forkin (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport). Forkin tied the game with a single. Bolling moved to third on the hit and scored one pitch later on the RBI single by Brauer.
“It was a grind it out type of game,” head coach Tim McDonough said. “Zicher was great in relief and Richie and Andrew had the big hits.”
Zicher (1-0) earned the victory. Forkin was 4-for-4 with five RBI. Bolling had three runs scored, three walks and was 3-for-3 on stolen bases. Amesquita hit a home run and doubled. He had three RBI and scored three times.
The final three spots in the order scored six runs.
“The bottom of our lineup is getting us going,” McDonough said. “They did it in the eighth and they are making sure we have no letup in our lineup.”
The Flyers took the opening game 6-2. The Flyers scored five runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth. Mary scored their two runs in the fifth.
Redshirt freshman Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) led off the five-run fifth with a double. A single and three bunts followed.
“It was a pitcher’s duel to start so we played some small ball, moved some runners over and executed really well,” McDonough said. “It was good to see.”
Senior Tyler Newsome (Palos Heights, Ill./Marist/South Suburban CC) earned the victory for Lewis. He went five innings, allowing five hits, three walks and two runs. Newsome is 1-0. Zicher allowed no runs over the final two innings.
Lewis improves to 3-0. Mary falls to 2-2. The Flyers play Morningside (Iowa) on Tuesday at 11 a.m.