There aren’t many ways to rattle Raiders ace Aaron Madill.

Just ask Olathe North.

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North put up two runs in the second inning on Madill on Tuesday night during the second game of the American Legion Zone I Tournament at Free State Field. Maybe the Lawrence pitcher, who’s approaching the team record for innings pitched, was due for a loss.

Madill, 9-1 this season, watched as Dan Wise opened with a single, reached second on a passed ball, then scored off Aaron Hicks’ single. Hicks also scored, leaving Lawrence behind 2-0.

“I don’t know what happened that inning,” Madill said. “I don’t think I had a mental lapse or anything. My curveball was hanging a bit, and that kid hit that pitch off the dirt.”

Turns out it was Olathe pitcher Brent Combs who should have been scared.

Lawrence's Troy Wingert, right, and Kyle McManness head back to the Raiders' dugout after they scored on Wingert's three-run homer. The Raiders defeated Olathe North, 10-2, Tuesday night at Free State in the first round of the zone tournament.

The Raiders promptly blasted everything Combs threw, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the second, culminating with Troy Wingert’s three-run home run on the way to a 10-2 win.

From there, Madill knew the game was his.

“I was real glad to see that eight-spot put up,” he said. “But I was never worried.”

Neither was Raiders coach Carl Brooks.

He knew his team, batting .363 this summer, would hit Combs. He just didn’t know it would be that soon.

“It’s just a matter of time if we swing the bats well,” Brooks said. “You have to be a real stallion to get the ball by us on a consistent basis.”

Combs couldn’t do it.

Lawrence batted around in the second, starting with a single from Wingert. Tommy Mangino followed with a single, and Wingert reached third on an Olathe error. After a Mike Morrell popup, the next four batters singled: Cassidy Thompson drove in Wingert, Dallas Worley reached on a bunt, Andrew Pyle hit a grounder past the second baseman and Kyle McManness drove in Thompson.

Matt Berner hit a two-run single two batters later, bringing up Wingert with runners at the corners. By now, the Raiders were in a grove, ripping the left-handed Combs’ off-speed pitches. When Wingert stepped to the plate, he turned on a fastball inside, driving it deep down the right-field line.

“I got what I wanted, and I did what I wanted with it,” Wingert said.

“It didn’t take us long to adjust at all. After the first inning, everyone had some good pitches to rip.”

Lawrence added another run in the third, and one more in the fourth giving Madill his 10th win of the season in a five-inning game. That leaves him rested for the rest of the double-elimination tournament, which could run through Saturday if all the teams lose once.

Olathe North third baseman Drake McVey leaps over Lawrence baserunner Troy Wingert. Wingert was safe on the play Tuesday during the Raiders' 10-2 victory at Free State.

Not to sound cocky, but Brooks doesn’t see his team doing that. Only Emporia swept the Raiders at home this summer, and with their offense cruising and Madill rested and ready, there’s no reason they can’t win their third straight zone tournament.

“We want to go to the state tournament,” Brooks said. “And he’s (Madill) our ticket.”

Lawrence, 28-17, takes a day off before playing the winner of tonight’s Shawnee Mission West-KC 199 Varsity Sports matchup. Varsity Sports beat Shawnee Mission North Slam in Tuesday’s early game, 9-0, and plays top-seeded Shawnee Mission West at 8:30 tonight at Free State.

Wingert is slated to start Thursday’s game, which became necessary after injuries to two Raider pitchers last week.

“I’ve never pitched seven innings,” Wingert said. “Never been much of a starting pitcher, either.”

But he’s not worried. It gives him a day to prepare, and if things get real hairy, Brooks can always call Madill’s number. In last spring’s high school state tournament, Madill threw about 150 pitches in two days, so arm fatigue won’t be a problem.

“I’ll run out there whenever he wants me,” he said.

If that happens, odds are he won’t need an eight-run inning either.