Lions see bright spots in setback

Depending on how you look at it, Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss by the Lawrence High baseball team to visiting Shawnee Mission South was either a big-time disappointment or somewhat encouraging.

Shut down by SM South senior pitcher Tyler Perdue to the tune of two hits over the first six innings, the Lions (2-6) outdid that in the seventh inning alone when junior Luke Padia and senior Nyle Anderson legged out infield singles and senior Nate Hulse added an RBI single of his own to plate the Lions’ first two runs of the night.

The inning, which was jump-started by sophomore Jacob Unruh getting hit by a pitch, had a meant-to-be feel to it and twice featured LHS bringing the tying run to the plate. But with runners at first and second and Brad Kincaid at the plate, LHS catcher Ivan Hollins, who drove in one of the Lions’ two runs a couple of batters earlier, slipped diving back to second base and was picked off to put the Raiders (3-5) one out away from getting out of a scary situation. Kincaid popped out to first to end the game, but not before the Lions could gain a little confidence from an otherwise rough night.

“We’re Chesty Lions,” Anderson said. “And we’ve got big hearts. We know you’ve always gotta fight to the end and that’s what we did tonight.”

Padia whole-heartedly agreed and said the LHS coaching staff constantly preaching running out every ground ball as hard as possible helped Anderson and him reach base to start the rally.

LHS coach Brad Stoll flipped the script and gave his players credit for believing in it and delivering.

“I’m proud of them,” Stoll said. “That seventh inning was a testament to the fact that these kids feel like they’re never out of a game. Now, would I like to see that mentality a little earlier and more often? You bet.”

Had it not been for a couple of LHS miscues on defense, the two seventh-inning runs might have been enough. But a couple of bad throws in the second inning led to South’s first run and a crucial error in the top of the fifth opened the door for three more.

“A couple of mental mistakes here and there can be the difference in the game,” Padia said. “But this group of guys is great. We’re close, we have faith in each other and once we find our identity it could be a fun ride.”

LHS will play host to Olathe South at 6 p.m. Thursday.

SM South 010 030 0 — 4 6 0

Lawrence 000 000 2 — 2 5 1

W – Tyler Perdue. L – Nolan Prochaska.

2B: Nyle Anderson, LHS.

LHS highlights: Zak McAlister 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER; Nyle Anderson 2-for-3, 2B; Luke Padia 1-for-3, run; Ivan Hollins RBI; Nate Hulse 1-for-3, RBI; Luke Zenger run.