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

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – On the heels of three home runs on Wednesday against Upper Iowa, sophomore Ben Albano (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) picked the perfect time to hit his fourth homer of the week on Saturday. Albano's walk-off solo home run in the eighth inning of game two gave Lewis a 4-3 win over Saint Joseph's. It came after Lewis won game one over the Pumas 4-1.
 
Lewis started game two with a pair of runs in the first inning thanks to a two-out two RBI double by junior Michael Schroeder (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton) (Crown Point, Ind./North Newton/Triton). Saint Joseph's pushed home an unearned run in the top of the second to make it 2-1. It stayed that way until the top of the seventh when Brandon Brian hit a one-out two-run home run to left field to give Saint Joseph's the lead 3-2.
 
Despite the setback the Flyers bounced back in their half of the seventh. Junior Brian Norwood (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) (Medinah, Ill./Lake Park) laced a one-out double to right field. He sat there with two outs when senior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) stepped to the plate. Bolling found himself quickly down 0-2. He fought off a few pitches before singling to right field. Norwood scored easily from second and Lewis had life once again.
 
Sophomore Tom Durkin (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) took over to start the eighth. The Pumas started the frame with a double and a walk however Durkin stranded them with a strikeout and a pair of fly outs.
 
In the bottom of the eighth Albano stepped to the plate with one out. He took a one out, 1-0 pitch deep over the left field wall for the game winning blast.
 
“Ben's been hot for awhile and I thought Saint Joe's did a great job pitching to him most of the day,” Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. “Ben got a pitch in his wheelhouse and great timing for him to do something with the pitch and send us home happy.”
 
Bolling finished game two 3-of-4. In addition to the home run, Albano scored Lewis' first run after walking in the first inning.
 
Durkin picked up the win for his inning of work in the eighth to move his record to 2-1. Nathan Bunch went all 7.1 innings for Saint Joseph's. His record is now 1-5.
 
Senior Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) started for Lewis and gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits with two strikeouts. He earned a no decision.
 
“I told the team after the game that Pat threw one pitch he wishes he could have back and pitchers should be able to throw one bad pitch and still get rewarded,” McDonough said. “Unfortunately we didn't score enough runs to get him a win but Tom Durkin (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) came in and battled.”
 
Lahey and Durkin's performances came after sophomore Tom Helwich (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central)'s (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln Way Central) complete game performance in game one. Helwich allowed one run on eight hits while fanning five.
 
“Tommy was workman like today,” McDonough said. “He threw a lot of pitches but he had the look in his eye that he wanted to finish.”
 
The Flyers never trailed in game one after scoring a pair of runs in the third inning. Lewis added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth on RBI by Schroeder and senior Michael Wido (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South).
 
“We were able to get Tommy a couple runs late which helped put everyone at ease,” McDonough said.
 
Norwood , Brauer and Bolling each recorded two hits in game two.
 
Eric Meyerchick took the loss for Saint Joseph's. He is now 1-3.
 
Saint Joseph's drops to 4-19 (3-7 Great Lakes Valley Conference). Lewis improves to 16-6 (7-3 GLVC). The Flyers and Pumas play on Sunday in a doubleheader starting at noon at Brennan Field.