Emporia ? Lawrence’s Raiders had one glaring weakness all season a lack of pitching.

On Friday, that one flaw, combined with a sub-par offense and a five-run fifth by Great Bend, put an end to the Raiders’ run at an American Legion state title as Lawrence fell, 7-5.

“Our lack of pitching depth has plagued us all year,” said Raiders’ coach Carl Brooks, whose team lost its second game in as many days at the double-elimination AAA American Legion state baseball tournament at Sodens Grove Park. “It kind of caught up and bit us today.”

While the Raiders, who ended their season with a 30-19 record, experienced trouble on the mound, there were other factors that contributed to the early exit.

Lawrence entered with a .363 team batting average. In Emporia, the Raiders scratched seven hits while hitting a dismal .152.

“We faced a 94 miles per hour pitcher yesterday, and then a guy that threw from every possible arm angle today and didn’t throw the a ball the same speed all day,” Brooks said. “Our bats didn’t hit, and that’s something we did well all year.”

Great Bend pitcher Ryan Schwamborn was able to fool the Raiders early with his repertoire of junk pitches.

While Raiders second baseman Andrew Pyle was the first hitter to touch Schwamborn he smacked a double down the right-field line in the third it was Pyle’s incredible diving-stop double play in the second inning with the bases loaded that briefly helped the Raiders out of a jam.

Pyle, who was a part of seven double plays in the two games at state, saved a pair of runs when he fully extended himself up the middle for the stop, then popped up and tagged second before tossing out the runner at first.

Pyle’s initial hit didn’t pay off because he was stranded at third after a Kyle McManness sacrifice bunt and a Derek Bailey pop out.

The Chiefs loaded the bases against Lawrence pitcher Blake Dickson in the bottom of the third. Dickson enticed Timothy Ruble to ground into another double play, but one run scored. Catcher Barton Howard followed with a single for a 2-0 lead.

The Raiders rallied with their biggest inning of the tournament when Tommy Mangino blasted a three-run home run over the scoreboard in left.

Lawrence seemed to be cruising towards a win after Dickson struck out the side in the fourth and the Raiders added a pair of runs in the fifth.

Dickson wasn’t spectacular Friday, but he had six strikeouts going into the fifth inning with just one earned run. He retired the leadoff batter before giving up a double to the wall. Great Bend’s Ruble then grounded out for the second out, but the Chiefs pushed another run across to trail, 5-3. Dickson walked the next two batters both on full counts and was replaced by Kyle McManness.

McManness’ first pitch was slapped through the infield by Derrick Furgeson and another run scored. After another single in nearly the same spot tied the game, Lawrence shortstop Matt Berner committed an error that kept the inning going.

Tyler Manwarren scored on the play and Furgeson came in on another single to make the game 7-5. Dallas Worley relieved McManness and recorded the final out with the bases loaded.

“Blake Dickson had a good game, but he was a little out of shape after missing action because of an injury, and then they just hit the ball against McManness,” Brooks said. “You can’t score and then turn around and give up that many runs.”

The Raiders left two on in the sixth and went down in order to end the game.

“I’m upset it’s over,” Pyle said. “We did the best we could out there. It just wasn’t our day.

“We have 11 guys coming back, but we’re really going to miss Troy (Wingert) and Dallas. It was a fun year.”