Topeka ? In his first outing since Free State High’s loss in the Class 6A state baseball quarterfinals last week against Shawnee Mission Northwest, Max Ellenbecker was nearly perfect.

The Lawrence Raiders opened their youth baseball season by sweeping Topeka Post 74 on Wednesday night, 8-0 and 11-2.

In the first game, Ellenbecker had his fastball and looping curve working, striking out four, walking one and surrendering no hits.

He got all the run support he needed in the first inning off of a three-run bomb from Firebird teammate Jake Hoover.

“Max was around the strike zone,” first-year Raiders coach Kevin Tucker said. “He was ahead of every hitter, had command of all his pitches, got his groundouts when he needed to and trusted his defense.”

Lefty Travis Blankenship threw all six innings of the second game, fanning six and allowing just two base hits.

Catcher Cole Massey supplied the firepower in the nigtcap with a three-run double in the sixth inning.

Outfielder Brian Heere went 6-for-8 on the night.

The Raiders will play Friday at the Topeka 400 Tournament.