Lourdes closed out its first series of the season on Thursday afternoon as the Gray Wolves dropped both ends of a doubleheader to fourth-ranked Missouri Baptist by scores of 6-0 and 4-3 at Spartan Field in Saint Louis, Mo.
 
"It's good that we were finally able to get our first series of the year in," head coach Andy Ham said after the games.  "We showed improvement in each game, but still had some mental mistakes that cost us though."
 
In the opener, Brandon Zywicki limited Lourdes to just one hit, a fifth inning single by Garrett Jex (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green H.S.).  Zwywicki struck out four, did not walk anyone, while hitting one batter to earn the complete game shutout win (2-0).
 
Missouri Baptist took advantage of four Lourdes errors in game one to plate three unearned runs.  The Spartans scored single runs in each of the first four innings and added two more in the sixth.  Orlando Olivera homered for the second straight day and drove in three runs while Tyler Greminger had two RBI for the hosts.
 
Lee Lovejoy (Ravenna, Ohio/Ravenna H.S.) started and suffered the loss (0-1), giving up four runs, only two of which were earned, on five hits.  He fanned three and did not walk anyone.
 
Lourdes bats came alive in game two of the twinbill.  Kyle Sherman (Collierville, Tenn./Rossville Christian Academy) singled home Bill Laranga (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee H.S.) in the top of the third to give the Gray Wolves their first lead of the season.
 
After the Spartans responded in the bottom of inning, Lourdes retook the lead in the top of the fourth.  Andy Kefalos (Barberton, Ohio/Barberton H.S.) doubled to lead off the frame and scored one batter later on a Jex single.  A walk and ground out moved Jex around to third before he scored on a sacrifice fly from Tyler Trame (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic H.S.).
 
Missouri Baptist (17-1) tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth to tie the game before plating the final run in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the seventh.  Aaron Collazo was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, moved to third on a throwing error, and crossed the plate with the winning tally following a sacrifice fly from Jeff Smith, who finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run and three runs batted in.
 
Jex had two hits to pace the Gray Wolf seven hit attack.
 
Michael Murano earned the win (1-0) with an inning of scoreless relief while Sean Koerber (Harper Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North H.S.) suffered the loss.  Nate Snow (Tucson, Ariz./Palo Verde H.S.) had started for the Gray Wolves, allowing three runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work.
 
"Lee and Nate did great jobs of keeping us in the game today," Ham added.  "Our bullpen pitched better than yesterday as well.  In game two we had much better at bats and played more unselfish."
 
Lourdes (0-4) is scheduled to open the home portion of its 2015 season on Friday afternoon as the Gray Wolves host Bluffton.  First pitch is set for 4 p.m. at Mercy Field.