Game One HTML Box Score / Game One PDF Box Score
Game Two HTML Box Score / Game Two PDF Box Score

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Lewis baseball split a doubleheader with No. 21 Missouri S&T on Saturday (March 24) afternoon at Brennan Field. The day was highlighted by a straight steal of home by Lewis senior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) and head coach Tim McDonough's 100^th career victory. Lewis took the opener 8-7 before falling in game two 2-1.
 
“It's great,” McDonough said of winning his 100^th game. “Obviously the players are the ones out there winning the games, certainly not me.” 

Game one pitcher sophomore Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) started the day on the wrong foot by walking the first two batters of the game. He entered the contest with two walks on the season. Missouri S&T scored twice in the inning. However thanks to a pair of runs in the bottom of the first the game was even at two following an inning.
 
Lewis opened it up with three runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Kyle Kapka (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect) (Mount Prospect, Ill./Prospect) led the inning off with a solo home run. It was his second of the season. A sacrifice fly by Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini) (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage) scored sophomore Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) for Lewis' fourth run.
 
Then things got fun when Bolling took off from third base and stole home. He easily beat the tag from the Missouri S&T catcher.

“We talked about before if the opportunity comes up it's something we might be able to do and we had the right guy out there in Mike to do it,” McDonough said.
 
Brauer recorded an RBI in the fourth and Buddle added an RBI in the fifth to make it 7-3. It stayed that way until Missouri S&T scored four runs in the top of the eighth. It could have been worse as Missouri S&T left runners at second and third.
 
The Missouri S&T rally meant Helwich, who started the eighth, would get a no-decision. Helwich finished with the contest allowing six runs on nine hits in 7.1 innings.
 
Lewis took the lead back in the bottom of the eighth on a two-out RBI single by Brauer. It scored Buddle who led the inning off with a single.
 
Freshman Phil Warner (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) (South Elgin, Ill./St. Charles North) entered in the ninth to pick up his third save of the season. Junior Kegan Banks (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs) (Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs/Blinn CC) earned his first win in a Lewis uniform to push his record to 1-1.
 
Bolling finished game one 3-of-3 with three runs scored and a walk. Brauer had three RBI on three hits.
 
While game one saw 15 combined runs scored. Game two would see only three runs scored. It was Missouri S&T getting on the board first with run in the second. Lewis tied it in the third when Buddle, who started the inning with a double, scored on wild pitch.
 
Missouri S&T took the lead back in the top of the fourth thanks to a single run. It would stay 2-1 the rest of the way. However Lewis had their chance in the sixth when they loaded the bases with one out. A fly out and a strikeout followed to end the inning.

Lewis finished game two with just four hits.

“We just didn't make adjustments at the plate in game two,” McDonough said. “When you don't make adjustments those one-run games are going to go the other way.”
 
Senior Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) pitched a complete game seven innings in the loss. His record is now 2-1. He struck out five while allowing seven hits.
 
Missouri S&T is now 13-4 (3-1 Great Lakes Valley Conference). Lewis is 11-5 (4-2 GLVC). The Flyers welcome Drury to Brennan Field on Sunday for a noon doubleheader.