photo by: John Young/File photo

Lawrence High's Andrew Stewart tosses the ball to first baseman Devin Lauts (22) for an out during the Lions' game against Olathe North Thursday afternoon at LHS on May 6, 2016.

Lawrence High baseball players know their coaches want them to play with risk, but that doesn’t make mistakes sting any less.

A couple of throwing errors came back to haunt the Lions in a 3-2 loss in eight innings on Thursday against Olathe North, spoiling Senior Night for six Lions: Ivan Hollins, Brad Kincaid, Parker Kirkpatrick, Colton Lovelace, Daonte Lowery and Luke Padia.

The loss put a damper on LHS sophomore right-hander Ethan Taylor’s performance. Taylor was dominant, allowing only two hits in 72?3 innings. The only problem was both of those hits produced runs, including an RBI single in the top of the eighth inning from O-North junior Carson Sader down the right-field line, scoring senior Desmond Grayson.

Taylor, who frustrated opposing hitters with his fastball and change-up, simply located pitches. He only struck out one batter, but trusted his defense to make plays. In the middle of his outing, Taylor retired 11 straight hitters.

“That’s two weeks in a row where he’s been beyond good,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said of Taylor. “He pitches like that, we’re going to win a lot of baseball games.”

In the second inning, O-North pitcher Danny Baker lined a single to center field and advanced to third on two ground-outs. It was on the second ground-out that LHS first baseman Devin Lauts tried to throw behind Baker when he rounded the base, but his throw flew over third baseman Parker Kirkpatrick’s head, allowing Baker to score.

The Lions paid for another error in the third inning when Taylor tried to pick off O-North senior Caleb Underwood at first base. Underwood was caught leaning the wrong way, but Taylor’s throw bounced past Lauts into right field. Underwood rounded the bases and beat the throw home.

“That’s always been our mentality: Play with risk,” Padia said. “Sometimes it just goes the other way. That’s baseball.”

The Lions (8-10) erased the errors when they tied the game in the fourth inning. Kirkpatrick hit a leadoff double, and pinch-runner Reese Mangan scored on an infield single from Padia. The Lions loaded the bases in the frame, but couldn’t plate any more runs.

Afterward, the Lions were held to just two singles — one each from Jacob Unruh and Lowery — for the next four innings. Sophomore Andrew Stewart scored in the first inning on an RBI single by Lauts.

Meanwhile, the 6-foot, 215-pound Taylor did his best to put up zeroes on the scoreboard. He had some help when Hollins made a diving catch in right field, and Lowery snagged a few sinking liners that usually freeze outfielders.

Taylor’s teammates notice more confidence in his ability to attack hitters since the beginning of the season.

“Being able to locate pitches, I think,” Taylor said of his biggest improvement. “That’s been my biggest thing. I was kind of wild at the start. I would get behind on batters, and now I’m starting to get ahead.”

Disappointed they couldn’t make more out of Taylor’s outing and Senior Night, the Lions know they have to limit their mistakes before the postseason arrives, especially after losing five of their past six games.

“We feel we’re one of the better teams in the Sunflower League, and we just keep making little mistakes that pay,” Padia said. “But we’ll get back to practice tomorrow, work hard and we’ll be fine next week.”

The Lions will travel to Free State for the first game of the City Showdown at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

O-North 011 000 01 — 3 2 1

Lawrence 100 100 00 — 2 6 2

W — Danny Baker. L — Ethan Taylor, 2-2. S — Andrew Scharsh.

2B — Parker Kirkpatrick, LHS.

LHS highlights — Ethan Taylor, 72?3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K; Devin Lauts, 1-for-4, RBI; Luke Padia, 1-for-3, walk, RBI.