Lawrence High's Michael Sinks pulls up his jersey after an emotional loss to Manhattan High during the 6A Regional championship at Wayne Norvell Baseball Field in Manhattan, Kan.

Manhattan ? Everybody says the last three outs in baseball are the hardest to get. Lawrence High’s baseball team learned that lesson the hardest way possible on Tuesday night.

The Lions took one-run leads into the bottom of the seventh and ninth innings, but couldn’t hold off Manhattan in the regional championship, losing 6-5 in nine innings.

Though the Lions fell short of their goal to make it to the state tournament, it wasn’t because of a lack of effort or excitement.

“I don’t know what to say. Twenty kids walking out of that dugout that played their ass off, and it just tears your heart out to see them walk out of there like that,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said. “They legitimately left everything on the field.”

In the top of the ninth inning, LHS senior Kieran Severa reached on a dropped fly ball in center field, stole second base and scored on another error to give the Lions a 5-4 lead.

The Indians’ first two batters reached base in the bottom half of the inning — a walk and an error — before Manhattan senior Kellen Myers drilled a pitch into the left-center gap to score both runners and send the Indians (20-2) into the Class 6A state tourney.

“Every inning was a fight,” Stoll said. “They didn’t back down. They kept throwing punches. At the end of the day, we fell short.”

LHS senior Doug Easum gave the Lions a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning with a pinch-hit double to the left-center gap. He was benched in the middle of the season, and made the most of his lone regional at-bat.

“We had so many guys step up, which was the best part,” said senior catcher Drew Green, who drew two intentional walks with first base open. “Everyone saw we outplayed those guys. … That was our game to win.”

In the seventh, the Indians were down to their last two outs when they tied the game with an RBI single from Bret Fehr, after the first two batters hit singles. LHS senior right-hander Brandon Bell escaped the jam with a strikeout and Severa tracked down a screeching line drive in deep center field.

Bell tossed seven innings, striking out six while allowing four runs on nine hits. He exited in the eighth inning, after the first two batters reached base, to a standing ovation from the LHS crowd. Stoll gave Bell a hug on the mound and said he couldn’t look Bell in the eye because he knew how much he wanted to stay in the game.

“I was teasing him, when he was a sophomore, I thought he was one of the softest kids I’ve ever coached,” Stoll said. “He’s done nothing but proven us he’s one of the toughest kids we’ve ever coached.”

Bell also earned the save in the first round of regionals, earlier in the afternoon, striking out the last batter in an 8-5, eight-inning victory over Olathe Northwest.

Junior Michael Sinks relieved Bell in the eighth against Manhattan and ended the threat with a pop out, fly out and strikeout. The Lions jumped up and down while running off the field, as they continued to bounce back from Manhattan’s best chances.

“They fought like every kid who ever wore this uniform would want them to fight,” Stoll said as he fought back tears. “That’s all you can ask, man. There’s hundreds of alumni who are going to be proud of what these guys did. That’s what I’m just so beyond proud of.”

The Lions ended the season with an 11-11 record.

LHS 8, ONW 5, 8 innings

Lawrence 300 020 03 — 8 7 1

Olathe NW 100 010 30 — 5 11 3

W — Brad Kincaid. L — Saige Killion. SV — Brandon Bell.

3B — Austin Hansen, Justin Ward, ONW.

LHS highlights — Bryce Montes de Oca, 4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 Ks; Kieran Severa, 2-for-5, run, 2 SB; Ryan Walter, 2-for-4, run, 2 RBI.

MHS 6, LHS 5, 9 innings

Lawrence 110 101 001 — 5 8 2

Manhattan 200 010 102 — 6 10 6

W — Jesse Steinbring. L — Michael Sinks.

2B — Kellen Myers, Jacob Biller, MHS; Parker Kirkpatrick, Doug Easum, LHS.

LHS highlights — Brandon Bell, 7 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 Ks; Parker Kirkpatrick, 3-for-4, 2 runs; Michael Sinks, 2-for-5, run; 2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K.