Lewis gets past Panthers twice in Saturday doubleheader

OZARK, Mo.— Drury lost late leads in both games of a doubleheader and was swept by Lewis on Saturday at Sky Bacon Stadium in Ozark. The Flyers scored a run in the sixth and two in the seventh to win game one 3-2, then came from 2-0 behind to win the second game 4-2.
 
Drury ended the day 27-18 and 17-10 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Lewis improved to 22-17 and 14-9 in the GLVC.
 
The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in game two on a two-RBI double by Cooper Munro and Drury held the lead into the seventh inning. The Flyers got a sixth-inning run, but the Panthers were two outs away from a win in the seventh when Kevin Barry tied the score with an RBI double. Cain Headrick’s sacrifice fly then gave Lewis a 3-2 lead.
 
Jake Karaba (5-1) got the win for the Flyers as he fired a complete game and allowed three hits and two runs with three walks and 15 strikeouts. Jack Jones (6-2) had his six-game winning streak snapped and took the loss for Drury.
 
The loss also snapped Drury’s seven-game winnings streak.
 
In game two, the Panthers scored a run in the first on a Wes Collins sac fly, then took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Kellen Williamson scored from second base on a pair of Lewis errors.
 
The Flyers evened the game in the fifth, though, as two runs would score on a dropped fly ball. Lewis took the lead in the sixth on an RBI double by George Bilecki and they tacked on another run with a single from Michael Alt.
 
Lewis pitching held Drury to three hits and three Flyers pitchers combined to strike out nine Panthers hitters. Anthony Sorrentino (1-0) got the win in relief for Lewis, while Mason Meeks (6-4) took the loss for Drury.
 
“As poorly as we played offensively, we could have won both games today,” said Drury head coach Scott Nasby. “They pitched great games, so you’ve got to tip your cap to them. To be in position to win two games when you don’t do anything offensively is frustrating, but I was proud of what we did on the mound.”
 
The two teams conclude the four-game series on Sunday. The first pitch is scheduled for noon and before the game, Drury will honor their graduating players in a ceremony for Senior Day as the Panthers play their final home game of 2023.
 
 
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