Devin Forio wasn’t the hitting star. For the second night in a row, Aaron Rea filled that role.

He wasn’t the game’s pivotal pitcher. Dorian Green was for the second game in as many nights.

Forio doesn’t play the role of hero. That’s fine. Because of the way he plays baseball, he’s never the goat.

Forio doesn’t do things that lose baseball games. He does little things so well that when they all are added up they can make a big difference for a winning baseball team.

Forio, Lawrence High’s senior second baseman and No. 2 hitter, has been playing baseball in the spring, summer and fall for as long as he can remember. As soon as the Lions’ season ends, so will his ballplaying days. Maybe that’s why he makes his at-bats last so long, working so many walks he has an on-base percentage of better than .500. He wants to milk every last drop of baseball out of the time he has left on the diamond.

Forio drew three walks, one with the bases loaded to drive in a run, scored a run and started a double play Thursday night in Lawrence’s 4-3 victory against crosstown rival Free State at Hoglund Ballpark.

After the game, Forio laughed about the walks because they aren’t the sort of thing about which ballplayers boast.

“I do what I can,” he said. “I’ll take whatever I can. As long as I get on base, I don’t care how.”

He even tried to bunt his way on right after Rea led off the sixth with a tiebreaking home run. Forio put down a beauty that would have earned him a hit if not for Free State’s Cory Delg jumping on it so quickly, so smoothly, fielding it just like a big-leaguer would make the play.

Forio is a favorite of coach Brad Stoll in part because he knows how to get the most production out of his ability.

“He’s a very solid defensive guy and has a great approach at the plate, very patient,” Stoll said. “He’s a great drag bunter. He handles the bat. You can hit-and-run with him. He’s going to get a guy over when you need to get a guy over. He can steal third better than anyone. He’s in the game. He’s really in the game.”

Stoll got around to revealing the main reason he’s so high on Forio.

“He wants to get into special education,” said Stoll, who teaches students with special needs. “He’s been working with me and my kids.”

If not for playing baseball on Stoll’s team, Forio might never have discovered he shares that gift with his coach. Stoll has his players in groups of four take turns swimming with special-needs students.

“The first time we swam, I felt the kids had a great time with it,” Forio said. “Them having fun made me have fun. I’ve really become passionate about it, and it’s something I want to do. It’s fun. It’s real fun to see the kids have fun like that. It can’t help but get to you.”

Forio said he plans to start his path toward a career teaching children with special needs by studying two years at Johnson County Community College and then transferring to Kansas University.

He won’t struggle to find a passion to replace baseball, thanks to his baseball coach.

“The kids I’m going to work with,” Forio said. “That will be my fun.”