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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Lewis baseball dropped a 1-0 decision in 11 innings to No. 17 Indianapolis in the Flyers' second contest of the day on Friday (May 11) at Bosse Field in the 2012 Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. The loss ends Lewis' 2012 GLVC Championship hopes. The No. 8 seeded Flyers were forced to play the elimination game against No. 1 seed Indianapolis after falling to No. 4 seed Rockhurst 4-0 in the day's opening contest.
 
After 10 and a half scoreless innings, Indianapolis won the contest in the bottom of the 11^th on a one-out RBI single by Matt Maringer. Junior right fielder Derek Thomas (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy) (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy), who entered the game in the ninth as a defensive replacement, made a stab at the ball on a dead run but it deflected off his glove. Thomas' throw home was late as Scot Lawley scored from second on the play.
 
“I told the team I think it's one of those games that as time passes you're going to be proud to be a part of,” Lewis head coach Tim McDonough said. “Both teams had their opportunities and it was a tremendous college baseball game, unfortunately we came up on the short end.”
 
Lewis turned away several Greyhound scoring chances as Indianapolis stranded 15 runners in the game. Lewis left seven on base.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Scott Mourey singled to start the inning. He was sacrificed over to second. Tyler O'Daniel followed with a single up the middle. Senior center fielder Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/ Triton) charged the ball, handled a bit of a short hop and fired a strike home. Lewis catcher sophomore Kyle Thomas (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) (Homer Glen, Ill./Providence Catholic) caught the throw on a fly and turned to his left to tag the sliding Mourey who was trying to swipe the back of the plate.
 
In the seventh, Indianapolis put a runner at second with one out but Lewis starter junior Matt Frahm (McLean, Ill./Olympia) (McLean, Ill./Olylmpia) worked out of the jam by inducing a ground out and a pop up to end the frame.
 
“Matt talked me out of taking him out in the seventh and once again he stepped up and did a great job of getting out of the inning and extending the game,” McDonough said.
 
Frahm gave up zero runs on six hits in 7.0 innings. He stranded nine Greyhound runners in his time on the mound. He excelled at managing innings by taking five outs the Greyhounds gave him from successful sacrifices.
 
In the ninth, Indianapolis put a runner at second with one out. Senior Drew Hicks (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) entered the game and struck out the first batter he faced for the second out. Two walks later though and the Greyhounds had the bases loaded with two outs. Hicks forced extra frames by getting Mourey to fly out to right field. Derek Thomas (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy), who just entered the game for defense, tracked to his right to catch the hard hit ball.
 
Lewis had their chances to score also. Senior Andrew Brauer (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini) (Bolingbrook, Ill./Montini/College of DuPage) singled to lead off the seventh. He was sacrificed over to second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. He was stranded at third after a strikeout and a pop out to end the inning.
 
Back-to-back two-out singles in the eighth put runners at first and third for sophomore Drew Buddle (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin) (Bartlett, Ill./South Elgin). However he ended the inning on a ground out to the pitcher.
 
In the 10^th, junior Zach Stetson (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) entered the game as pinch hitter and singled to start the inning. He was sacrificed over but was left at second after a fly out and a ground out.
 
Lewis went 1-2-3 in the 11^th, before Indianapolis scored the game winning run in their half.
 
Hicks took the loss for Lewis. He allowed the one run on three hits in 2.2 innings. He is now 2-2. Indianapolis' Chris Saroff (3-2) picked up the win for the Greyhounds for his perfect 11^th inning. Indianapolis starter JaVaun West threw 10.0 innings of five hit, shutout ball. The Greyhounds improve to 39-14.
 
Indianapolis out-hit Lewis 10-5, with all five hits being recorded by different Flyers.

Lewis falls to 33-20. The Flyers now await word if they will receive an NCAA Midwest Regional bid. Lewis was sixth in last week's regional poll. The top six teams qualify for the tournament.
 
“I didn't give the end of the year speech,” McDonough said. “I think this team is deserving of (a regional bid) and we'll just see how it plays out.”
 
Indianapolis was No. 1 in the last regional poll meaning should the Flyers earn a bid it could be another rematch with Indianapolis in the tournament's first game.
 
Rockhurst Recap
 
The Flyers were baffled by Rockhurst starter Mark Himmelberg. The Hawks' starter went all nine innings, allowing only five hits and one walk. Lewis had just one runner reach third. The Flyers' best rally came in the seventh when a pair of two-out singles put runners on first and second. However, the inning ended on a groundout by freshman Anthony Baldassano (Woodridge, Ill./Nazareth) (Woodridge, Ill./Nazareth).
 
Rockhurst put the Flyers on their heels early with two unearned runs in the first inning. Senior Mike Bolling (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep) (Chicago, Ill./Guerin Prep/Triton) dropped a fly ball in center field with one out and then saw the batter move up to second when his throw went over second base. Bolling had two errors on the play after committing just one error through Lewis' first 51 games. Rockhurst's Ryan Porter followed with a double to drive in both runners.
 
Rockhurst added single runs in the sixth and eighth to make the final 4-0.
 
Lewis starter Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) pitched well enough to win. He went 8.0 innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits. He threw 90 pitches, 65 of which were strikes. Lahey did his best, but he couldn't match Himmelberg. Friday was Lewis' second time facing Himmelberg in 2012. The righty earned a no-decision in Rockhurst's 7-6 victory on March 17. The Flyers touched Himmelberg for three runs (two earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings in March

Brauer went 2-for-4 in the contest.
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Rockhurst improves to 32-15. Rockhurst will play Indianapolis on Saturday in the GLVC Tournament.