The Lawrence Raiders and Free State-Team Hill, two of the area’s youth summer-league baseball teams, both entered Tuesday’s matchup full of confidence after successful weekend tournaments.

It was the Raiders, though, who extended their winning streak to a summer-best four games after they won, 8-5, at Free State.

Plate discipline has played a big role in the Raiders’ recent hot streak and fueled them to a victory over Free State-Team Hill. The Raiders (12-13-1) drew nine walks, including six in a row in a five-run sixth inning, and collected nine hits.

“We’re looking for pitches that we can hit,” said Nate Hulse, who singled, was hit by a pitch and scored two runs. “You’re not going to go up there just swinging at anything. You have to have an approach, and we had a good one today.”

Eight Raiders recorded a hit, with Mikey Corbett leading the way with two singles and three RBIs.

The Raiders also received a strong start on the mound from Hulse, who allowed two runs on four hits over four frames while striking out two and walking none. Along with Hulse’s good command, Raiders assistant coach Alex Reyes believed the team’s defensive play made a big difference.

“The last couple of weeks, we’ve been playing pretty flawless defense, which I’m really, really happy about,” Reyes said. “If you have a good defense, that’s going to keep you in games. If you throw strikes, and your defense is good behind you, you’re going to be in every single game.”

Triston Decker came on in relief for the final three innings to earn his second win in as many outings, but it did not come easily. Free State-Team Hill (18-11) answered the Raiders’ five-run top of the sixth by scoring three in the home-half of the frame. Four walks and RBI singles by Jaden Moore and Daniel Bryant helped Free State-Team Hill pull within three in the sixth, but Decker weathered the storm and pitched a one-two-three seventh to close it out.

Dale Miller paced Free State-Team Hill offensively with a single, double, stolen base and two runs scored. Head coach Mike Hill noticed significant improvement in Miller’s approach at the plate as his team went 6-0 in a tournament last weekend in Denver.

“He can get some things done,” Hill said of Miller. “He’s a talented young man.”

Hill also had positive things to say about starting pitcher Zion Bowlin, who matched Hulse by allowing only two runs in four innings. Bowlin, a junior-to-be at Free State, felt comfortable on the mound for not usually pitching that often, but there was one thing that did not sit well with him: losing to some of his high school teammates.

“I really just want to beat them,” Bowlin said. “I never want to lose to them. It’s the worst when you’re losing to your friends actually.”

Raiders 001 115 0 — 8 9 1

FSHS 010 103 0 — 5 6 1

W — Triston Decker. L — Jackson Flynn.

2B — Dale Miller, FS-Team Hill; Hunter Gudde, Raiders.