Lawrence High second baseman Devin Forio misses a throw. The Lions committed six errors in a 6-3 loss to Shawnee Mission West on Tuesday at Ice Field.

Lawrence High School second basemen Aaron Rea, #18, looks for a out on a ground ball against Shawnee Mission West at Ice Field Tuesday night.

The pitching? Not bad. The hitting? Pretty good. The fielding? Don’t ask.

Shawnee Mission West took advantage of six Lawrence High errors and rallied for a 6-3 baseball victory Tuesday night at Ice Field.

“Sometimes we pick and catch good,” Lions’ coach Brad Stoll said, “and sometimes we don’t. It’s on and off, on and off.”

Tuesday was one of those off nights. Only half of the Vikings’ runs were earned as the Lions wasted a strong pitching performance by Tanner Kilmer.

“Tanner gave us a chance to win,” Stoll said.

SM West managed just two hits in the five innings that Kilmer, a sophomore left-hander, was on the mound. But the Vikes had plenty of base-runners. Kilmer walked four batters, and his teammates made four errors behind him.

Nevertheless, Kilmer, a son of former Kansas University pitching coach Wilson Kilmer, was able to pitch out of trouble. For instance, Kilmer struck out D.J. Balazs with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and left with a 3-2 lead.

“He did a great job,” Stoll said of the sophomore southpaw. “He had command of his breaking ball and was hitting spots. He has a chance to be special.”

An inning later, with senior right-hander Joe Kornbrust on the mound, the dam broke. SM West exploded for four runs on four singles, two intentional walks and a costly throwing error by shortstop Aaron Rea.

Rea, a junior who is playing shortstop this season after spending last season at second base, lived a nightmare in the field. He was charged with four of the Lions’ six errors.

“He had a tough night,” Stoll said of Rea, “but he has a chance to be one of the best players to come out of this place. He has all the tools.”

Rea, the Lions’ leadoff hitter, had better luck at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base.

“People won’t remember this night for all of the good ones he’s going to have,” Stoll said.

Kornbrust, who was charged with the other two miscues – one at first base and one on the hill – also had two hits and drove in a run.

The Lions scored all their runs off senior left-hander Mike Crilly, but right-hander Lee Ridenhour mowed them down in the sixth and the seventh, fanning five.

Lawrence (4-6) will play host to Olathe East at 6 p.m. Thursday at Ice Field.