LAWRENCE HIGH FIRST BASEMAN NICK DEBIASSE practices his hitting stroke while waiting on-deck to bat against Olathe North. LHS won, 1-0, on Thursday at the Olathe District Activity Center.

Olathe ? Lawrence High has won its baseball games this year with powerful hitting, spraying the ball around the yard.

The Lions, however, defeated Olathe North, 1-0, at Olathe District Activity Center on Thursday night while eking out two hits – neither of which reached the outfield.

“It’s not typical from what we’ve done all season,” Nick DeBiasse said. “It shows you how versatile we are. It’s nice to win a game with pitching and defense.”

Making his first start of the year, Joe Kornbrust skillfully handled the pitching component during his complete-game effort. Relying on his fastball and inside changeup, the junior right-hander, who previously had served as a reliever, worked efficiently, allowing three hits while throwing fewer than 75 pitches.

“I was in the zone,” Kornbrust said.

He demonstrated his moxie during the fifth inning. North’s Jordyn Chamberlin reached on an error, and Foster Vielcok singled. A wild pitch put the tying score 90 feet from home plate, but Kornbrust fanned Josh Gore – one of his seven strikeouts – to halt a potential swing in momentum.

“Joe was sharp,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said. “He attacked their hitters all day long.”

While Kornbrust stifled the North batters, DeBiasse’s baseball savvy gave the Lions the only run they would need.

“He’s a team player,” Stoll said. “We win that game because Nick DeBiasse is a baseball player.”

During the second inning, he led a scoring rally during which LHS did not record a hit. The senior reached base after being hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and stole third base. Chase Muder walked and stole second, and DeBiasse scored on the errant throwing attempt to nab Muder at second base.

The No. 4 hitter is better known for his power, but after the game, dirt remained caked on DeBiasse’s uniform pants, signaling his baserunning prowess.

“I haven’t had too many chances this year to show that facet of my game,” DeBiasse said. “But it’s something I take pride in.”

The Lions (8-4) only would manage that lone run against Chamberlin. The North pitcher struck out 10 and did not allow a hit until Travis Sanders singled during the third inning. Daniel Parker notched the only other hit, a single during the sixth.

Chamberlin befuddled the LHS players with a curveball that appeared to have the bottom drop out. The Lions swung over the top of it.

“He was spinning that breaking ball,” Stoll said. “We didn’t seem to read it too well.”

Thursday’s game was originally scheduled for Ice Field, but wet conditions forced the relocation to ODAC, which features fake, polymer-coated infield dirt that has less slippage. One umpire mistakenly traveled to the wrong facility, forcing the game’s start to be pushed back 30 minutes.

“That was a weird – with a capital W – weird baseball game,” Stoll said. “It was crazy.”

Let that serve as a lesson to Sunflower League opponents. This Lions team can win in a variety of ways.

“They’re going to have to put up some runs and they’re going to have play defense too,” DeBiasse said, “because we’ll win 1-0, we’ll win 10-9 – whatever it takes.”