What a difference 12 hours makes.

Lawrence’s Raiders cruised to a doubleheader sweep of North Platte (Neb.) Post 163, 15-0 and 11-0, in about three hours Sunday at Free State High. The twinbill was easy compared to Saturday night’s 6-4 victory, when the Raiders needed every ounce of effort to overcome five fielding errors and outlast North Platte.

In two games Sunday, the Raiders combined for 26 hits, committed just one defensive error and allowed North Platte only six hits. While two huge offensive explosions were hard to overlook, Raiders coach Tim Hill was most proud of his team’s defensive consistency.

“We continue to swing the bats pretty well, and we have here for about the last week,” Hill said. “Most importantly, I was pleased with the defense. We’ve struggled in that department pretty much all year.”

Hill coached the team this weekend in place of Reggie Christiansen, who was in California for a wedding. The team’s sweep of North Plate boosted its record to 31-14.

The Raiders got two outstanding pitching performances — from Tyson Corley in the first game and then Grant Meisenheimer. Corley allowed three hits in five innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Meisenheimer also gave up just three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in five innings of his own.

Each game ended early due to the run rule, making for a short afternoon. The back-to-back blowout victories were the perfect shot of adrenaline for the Raiders, who will begin defense of their state title Friday at the American Legion zone tournament.

“I just try and throw strikes, and my defense will help out,” Corley said. “It’s a lot more fun this way, so we’re excited to play.”

The Raiders’ Nos. 1-4 hitters combined to drive in 15 of the team’s 26 runs. In the first game, center fielder Ryan Engel was 3-for-3 with two singles, a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. The biggest offensive delivery of the second game came from right fielder Brett Lisher, whose triple with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning all but crushed North Platte.

Lawrence Raiders infielder Paul Metzler throws to first base for an out against North Platte (Neb.) Post 163. The Raiders won twice Sunday at Free State High, 15-0 and 11-0.

“We finally broke out — we had a big team slump there for about two weeks — and it felt great,” Engel said. “Once you start hitting with the bats, everybody just gets a lot better attitude, everybody’s more pumped up and it’s definitely a better atmosphere in the dugout.”

Sunday, the Raiders were able to chase both of North Platte’s starting pitchers after just three innings. But after seeing two complete games from their own starters, the Raiders are hoping Sunday’s dominance will be able to carry over to the tournament.

“Both of the guys we threw at them today are capable of doing that,” Hill said. “The pitching’s been there all year, it’s just been a matter of putting the two phases of the game together with the pitching.”