Pitcher Jake Hoover just didn’t like the looks of things.

The Lawrence Raiders had just given him an early one-run lead against the Manhattan 17ers, which, as crazy as it sounds, was exactly the problem.

Lawrence's Will Falk, right, slides safely into home past Manhattan catcher Tyler Cox in the second inning of the Raiders' 4-2 victory. The Raiders won the Lawrence Invitational title Sunday at Free State High.

In two previous games with Manhattan earlier in the week, Lawrence had rallied in the late innings to thwart the 17ers.

“I looked over at someone and said, ‘I wonder if it’s their turn,'” Hoover said. “I thought they were going to come back against us this time.”

The 17ers did rally late, but it was not enough to keep the Raiders from taking the title with a 4-2 youth baseball victory in the Lawrence Invitational championship game on Sunday at Free State High.

Trailing 4-1 entering the seventh, Manhattan plated a run and loaded the bases with one out. But reliever Grant Meisenheimer fielded a comebacker from Zach Wisdom, starting a double play to end the game and the tournament.

The Raiders’ victory was the third in six days against the 17ers, who reached the finals after posting a 4-1 record over the weekend.

Lawrence's Cory Cooper slides into third base during the fourth inning of the Raiders' victory over Manhattan.

“Those guys are just as good as us,” Raiders coach Kevin Tucker said. “We just happened to be playing a little bit better than them.”

All three victories against Manhattan had a common theme – an appearance on the mound from Hoover.

“They knew what I had,” Hoover said, “so I just had to try to keep the ball low.”

With few tricks left up his sleeve, Hoover managed to keep Manhattan guessing in the first six innings. He allowed just one unearned run and two hits during that span, striking out five.

He also managed to help out his team with some pop at the plate.

After a Brett Lisher home run made it 3-1, Hoover stepped to the batter’s box in an uncomfortable situation.

“I hate following up home runs, because everybody’s thinking whatever you do is not as good,” Hoover said.

The Raiders' Jake Hoover delivers during the first inning of Lawrence's 4-2 victory over Manhattan. The championship-game victory Sunday at Free State gave the Raiders the title of the Lawrence Invitational.

But what Hoover followed with was just as impressive. The clean-up hitter blasted a Bobby Cox pitch well over the wall in left, giving the Raiders a 4-1 advantage.

Lawrence would not have made the finals if not for some heroics in its semifinal against Topeka Post 74.

Down to his final strike with the Raiders trailing 4-3 in the seventh, Tommy Fitzgerald worked a two-out walk. Lisher followed with a single to left, and Hoover placed a hit between third and short to score Fitzgerald and knot the score at 4.

6Sports video: Raiders win Lawrence Invitational

Cory Cooper’s liner past shortstop Tony Unrein drove in Lisher, put the Raiders in the championship game.

“As a coach, you can’t teach effort,” Tucker said, “and that’s what we had in the first game.”

The Raiders went 6-0 in the tournament.