March 1, 2009

Final Stats

FORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. - Senior Tim Bingham (Plainfield, Ill./John Glenn) hit a two-run home run in both games of the Flyers' doubleheader sweep (14-7, 8-1) of Gannon on Sunday afternoon.

Freshman Pat Lahey (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) earned his first collegiate victory in opener. He threw allowed five runs, eight hits and three walks in six innings. He also sat down five by way of the strikeout. Sophomore Charles Gille (Rockford, Ill./Boylan Catholic) threw the seventh, allowing three hits and two runs.

"Pat struggled in the first inning but settled down to give us some sold innings," head coach Tim McDonough said. "He allowed us to get back in the game and then let the offense take over."

Lewis tallied a run in the top of the first when junior Ryan McManaman (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan) singled and then scored on an error off the bat of senior Chris McCall (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park-River Forest/College of DuPage CC).

The Golden Knights responded with four runs in the bottom of the first. However Gannon's lead wouldn't last long as the Flyers tallied four runs of their own in the top of the second inning.

Freshman Zach Stetson (Kankakee, Ill./Herscher) walked and then Bingham and freshman Michael Wido (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) each were hit by a pitch to load the bases. Stetson came around to score on a fielders choice by sophomore Ryan Koerner (LeRoy, Ill./LeRoy). Sophomore Mike Vucsko (Evergreen Park, Ill./Marist) stepped up and doubled in Bingham and Koerner. McCall used a double of his own to score Vucsko.

The Flyers extended their lead to 8-4 with three runs in the third. Once again Stetson, Bingham and Wido loaded the bases. Koerner used a sac fly to bring in Stetson. Vusko singled Bingham home and junior Scott Householder (Berwyn, Ill./St. Josephs/Triton) plated Wido with a sacrifice fly.

The Lewis offense stayed hot in the fourth, scoring three runs all after two outs. Wido doubled and scored when Koerner got on base with an error by the third baseman. Koerner scored when Vucsko took second on an error by the left fielder. McManaman walked and stole second before Householder doubled both McManaman and Vucsko in to make it 12-4.

Lewis finished their scoring in the fifth with a Bingham home run that plated Miguel Amesquita (Hometown, Ill./Brother Rice/Triton).

Gannon added one in the sixth and two in the seventh to bring the final to 14-7.

Vucsko finished 3-for-6 with three RBI and two runs scored. Wido was 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

The second game was the Householder show. He pitched a complete game seven innings, allowing only an unearned run in the seventh. Householder surrendered three hits and a walk while fanning seven.

"Scott walked only one and worked quick," McDonough said. "When you get a great performance like that it makes it easy to coach and easy to hit."

Lewis scored two in the first, one in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth.

In the first, Vucsko scored on a single by senior Ryan Reynolds (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech). Sophomore Richard Forkin (Orland Park, Ill./Lockport) scored on the same play when the center fielder's throw was wild.

It was the same three guys combining for Lewis' lone run in the third. Vucsko walked and went first to third on a Forkin single. Reynolds earned his second RBI on a sacrifice fly that scored Vucsko.

Stetson led the fourth off with a triple. Junior Ted Bartnik (Diamond, Ill./Coal City/Illinois Valley CC) singled him in and went to third on a Koerner double. Bartnik and Koerner both scored when Vucsko got on base with an error by the second baseman that earned Vucsko one RBI on the play.

In the sixth Bingham hit his second two-run home run of the day that plated Cameron Anello (Homer Glen, Ill./Brother Rice) who singled.

Steson finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

"I thought our hitters came out and responded after yesterday's struggles," McDonough said. Coach (Mike) Landry had a meeting with the hitters last night and it paid off."

Gannon falls to 1-3. Lewis improves to 3-2. The Flyers are off on Monday and return to action with a contest at Flagler on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.