ST. CHARLES, Mo. – Pitching powered the Saints past Lewis University with a 3-1 final in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament on Thursday afternoon. Jacob Kroeger, Philip Reinhardt, and Ben Prywitch shut down the Flyers for a single run while their offense rode a three-run fifth to advance to the next round.
 
Round 1: Lewis University Recap
The Flyers started the top of the first with a bang, doubling to lead off the inning, followed later by a walk and a groundout. With runners now on second and third, Kroeger got a strikeout looking in a full count to end the threat.
 
Still scoreless in the top of the third, the Flyers once again advanced two runners into scoring position. Lewis pushed one run home on an RBI single but Kroeger worked out of more trouble with another strikeout.
 
The Flyers again added pressure in the top of the fifth with a pair of singles and a sacrifice bunt to lead off the inning. Pat Evers called upon Philip Reinhardt to work out of the jam with just one out. The Valmeyer, Illinois native came in and got a pop out to first and a fly out to left to keep the game stuck at 1-0.
 
After leaving seven runners on base through the first four innings, the Saints found some offense in the bottom of the fifth. Joey Polak hit a solo home run to left field with one out to tie the game, followed two pitches later by a solo home run from catcher Elias Stevens. Alex Hoff continued the rally with a triple and came in to score on Michael Gould's single to right field to open a 3-1 lead.
 
Reinhardt continued to mow down hitters out of the bullpen, hurling four shutout innings, allowing just three hits with one strikeout. He ran into some trouble in the top of the ninth, however, allowing a pair of singles to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.
 
With one out in the top of the ninth, the Saints opted to use GLVC First Team All-Conference pitcher Ben Prywitch with a chance to earn his team-leading third save of the year. Prywitch fielded a ground ball back to the mound while holding the runner at third for the first out, and got the next batter to ground out to Dominic Connolly to end it.
 
The win gave Maryville baseball their 32^nd win of the season and moved them to the second round of the GLVC tournament tomorrow afternoon.
 
Winning Pitcher: Philip Reinhardt (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: Michael Sclafani (2-7)
Save: Ben Prywitch (3)
 
Hitting Leaders:
Joey Polak: 1-for-3, HR, RBI
Elias Stevens: 2-for-3, HR, RBI
Michael Gould: 3-for-4, RBI, SB
  
What's Next?
The Saints take on the University of Illinois Springfield in the second round of the GLVC tournament on Friday, May 13. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Missouri.