Lourdes took a four-run lead into the ninth inning on Wednesday morning, but Lyndon State rallied with six runs in the final frame to defeat the Gray Wolves 8-6 at Chain O Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Fla.
 
"It's heart-breaking, but we need to learn how to win and finish games," head coach Jeremy Snow said afterwards.  "We swung the bats a lot better today though."
 
Lourdes jumped on top early, scoring three times in the bottom of the first.  Glen Crabtree (Medina, Ohio/Black River H.S.) delivered a two-out, two-run double to left.  George Pastor (Walled Lake, Mich./Central H.S.) followed with a single through the hole on the left side, plating Crabtree.
 
Adam Hoyos (Oro Valley, Ariz./Canyon Del Oro H.S.) did not surrender a hit through the first three innings, and was aided by Garrett Jex (Bowling Green, Ohio/Bowling Green H.S.) throwing out two would-be base stealers in the third inning.  Lyndon State broke up the shutout in the fourth, scoring twice, one of which was unearned to pull within one, 3-2.
 
The Gray Wolves extended the lead in the seventh as Derek Scott (Toledo, Ohio/Cardinal Stritch H.S.) tripled to left to score Zak Laubscher (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg H.S.), who had led off the inning with a single.  Kyle Sherman (Collierville, Tenn./Rossville Christian Academy) added a sacrifice fly before Jex doubled home the sixth run, driving home Adam Dolesh (Richmond, Ind./Seton Catholic H.S.).
 
Lyndon State threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with one out, but Dolesh induced an inning ending double play.  The Hornets rallied in the ninth though, scoring six times, taking advantage of a pair of Lourdes errors, tying and taking the lead with two outs. 
 
Jex tallied his third hit, and second double of the game in the bottom of the ninth, but the Gray Wolves were unable to mount a comeback.
 
Crabtree, Pastor, and Laubscher each had two hits for Lourdes as the Gray Wolves banged out 11 hits after entering the game with just 14 total in their first four contests.
 
Hoyos worked 8.1 innings but finished with a no decision, allowing five runs, three of which were earned, and nine hits.  He walked three and struck out three.  Liam Bloom (Swanton, Ohio/Swanton H.S.) suffered the loss (0-1), allowing three unearned runs in the ninth.
 
"Hoyos gave us a great start," Snow added.
 
John Bouley recorded the win (1-0) with an inning of scoreless relief for Lyndon State (3-7) while Andrew Whalen pitched the ninth to earn his first save of the year.
 
Lourdes (0-5) will return to the diamond on Thursday as the Gray Wolves face Mount Vernon Nazarene.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m. at Chain O Lakes Park.