Considering all the Lawrence Raiders have lost this year, taking a “nothing to lose” approach to today’s American Legion Class AAA state baseball tournament might be the respectable way to go.

Nothing more to lose, anyway.

The Raiders’ will take just 12 players to the state tournament, thanks to injuries and other unavoidable absences. The defending state champs, already marked men, will be as thin as a toothpick this weekend.

Still, Lawrence doesn’t seem to mind, as it prepares for today’s 1 p.m. game with Arkansas City in Chanute, site of the double-elimination tournament.

“Nothing fazes them,” coach Reggie Christiansen said of his team, which is 34-15 going in. “We’ll be fine. We’re going to have nine guys out there.”

And that’ll be enough to field a complete team, which is all that really matters, anyway. The Raiders have enjoyed another solid season, and the good news is, they’ve benefited from strong pitching, always a key come tournament time.

Mill Valley graduate Tyson Corley will start on the mound today, fresh off a complete-game victory over the Lansing Huskies at last weekend’s zone tournament. Other top starters like Aaron Madill, Jake Hoover, Grant Meisenheimer and Matt Wingert will be ready to throw when their time comes.

It assures the Raiders that, as short-handed as they are, pitching shouldn’t be much of a problem — should they take care of business early in the tournament.

“I know the first game is the most important,” Christiansen said. “If you lose the first one, you have to win six straight. We only have six pitchers.”

The winner of today’s Ark City-Lawrence matchup will play at 5 p.m. Friday.