Imagine a Ferrari as your first car rather than a hand-me-down from grandma.
Lawrence High baseball coach David Petry couldn't have asked for more from his varsity job last spring. His top two pitchers combined for a 17-0 record and 15 complete games, and he also had catcher Curtis Ledbetter, the state's player of the year, at his disposal during the Lions' 22-2 Class 6A state championship season.
"I probably got a little spoiled last year," said Petry, who coached the Lions to their best season in the program's 15-year history. "I don't think we can top last year. It'd be nice to equal last year. But realistically, I don't think that's on our mind right now."
Olathe South is on the Lions' minds. LHS, ranked third in the Class 6A coaches' preseason poll, will open the 2001 season today with a doubleheader against the Falcons at Ice Field, where the Lions went 12-0 last year. The first game is slated for 4:15 p.m.
LHS, which takes a 10-game winning streak into the opener, returns four starters from last year's state championship team senior Brandon Bingham and juniors Chris Johnson, Rob Scott and Troy Wingert. Senior Damon Benitez also was a part-time starter.
"We have a good group of kids coming back and I think that's going to be important," Petry said. "We're also young and inexperienced. When I say inexperienced, I'm talking about pitching."
Bingham, primarily a third baseman for LHS last year and New Mexico signee, enters spring as the Lions' No. 1 pitcher. Bingham, however, won't pitch tonight because of an ailing back.
"He by far has the best control we've got," Petry said of Bingham. "He's been spotting the ball real well."
Bingham, who's listed as questionable tonight as a third baseman, is also one of the Lions' top hitters after batting .395 as a junior.
Petry had planned on junior Stephen Vinson pitching for the Lions. Vinson, though, notified Petry he wouldn't be coming out for baseball so he could concentrate on basketball. Vinson logged more innings (11) than any LHS underclassmen last season and went 1-1.
Juniors Troy Wingert, Andy Flory and Mike Morrell figure to be in the pitching mix, Petry said.
"Our young pitchers are going to have to grow up in a hurry," Petry said.
Also, sophomore left-handers Ryan Rowland and Taylor Martin are expected to contribute.
Petry wasn't sure who would carry the offensive load now that Ledbetter has moved on to Garden City CC. Ledbetter, who has signed with Nebraska, hit .629 with 13 home runs, 47 RBIs and 14 stolen bases last season for the most productive season in LHS history.
"I don't think you replace him with any one person," Petry said. "We'll need three or four guys in the lineup to pick up the slack. I think one through nine we can be better than last year, but without Curtis Ledbetter this year you can't go up waiting for one guy to hit the ball out of the park."
Bingham, Johnson (.360) and Benitez (.345) had productive offensive seasons last year.
Lawrence's projected assignments for the opener are Wingert (pitcher), Cameron Taylor (catcher), Ryan Rowland (first base), Kyle McManness (second base), Johnson (shortstop), Bingham (third base), Derek Bailey (left field), Scott (center field) and Benitez (right field). If Bingham is unable to go, Mike Morrell will play third base.
The Lions are scheduled to play at Free State on Saturday in a single game tentatively set for noon. The two city schools are scheduled to meet again on May 7 at Kansas University's Hoglund Ballpark for a single game.
"I like getting an opportunity to play Free State early and late in the season," Petry said. "That second one at KU (site of Lawrence's state title last year) is going to be a great atmosphere for the kids. Hopefully we can do that every year."
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