photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Lawrence High senior Brooks Jones throws a pitch during the second inning of a 6-0 shutout loss to Blue Valley North on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at Hoglund Ballpark.

A strong start by senior pitcher Brooks Jones didn’t last for the Lawrence High baseball team in a 6-0 shutout loss to Blue Valley North at the River City Baseball Festival on Saturday night.

Jones, going 6.0 innings on the mound, kept the Mustangs quiet and picked up three strikeouts through the first three frames. Falling behind 2-0 in the fourth, the Chesty Lions (7-8) just never found an answer at the plate the rest of the way.

Even with the loss, LHS coach Brad Stoll said Jones’ potential is untapped.

“Brooks is our guy, and he’s going to win us a lot of games and we’re going to ride him,” he said. “I still believe this team’s got a chance to play in the state tournament and we’ll ride number 18 all the way.”

Hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first, senior Dominic Ostronic stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. With Ostronic seeking home, BV-North starting pitcher Griffin Allen struck out junior Sammy Stoll to stop LHS short of the lead.

Holding the Mustangs silent again in the second, LHS sparked in the second with a leadoff double by junior Connor Nowak and a single by Jones. With one out, senior Nathan Blettner flew out to right fielder Noah Barber, with Nowak breaking off for home plate. Barber’s throw made it just in time for BV North catcher Charlie Weber to tag out Nowak and save the inning.

Jones shined in the third, striking out Weber and tagging Barber on a grounder for the second out. Making a big-time play to end the inning, junior Cale Paden laid out on a line drive by BV North’s Sam Jones bringing LHS back to the plate.

“(Paden)’s another guy who’s waited his turn,” Brad Stoll said. “He worked very hard and when he gets his opportunity, he takes advantage.”

The strong defense didn’t stop Allen from making quick work of the Lions in the bottom of the third, and in the fourth, Jones hit leadoff batter Cooper Graham, setting up a Blue Valley North RBI single by Dylan Sarna at the next at-bat. Next up, Carson Wasinger tripled off Jones driving in another run sending BV North up 2-0 with no outs.

Stalling Wasinger at third, Jones struck out Quinn Groebl and Holden Groebl stacking two outs on the board. LHS shortstop Austin Crawford delivered a ground ball to Sammy Stoll at first to retire the side. All three Lions on deck fell flat in the fourth, bringing Jones back to the mound to open the fifth.

In the fifth, Jones stayed on his toes registering the first two outs by firing a grounder from Charlie Weber over to first, and then striking out Barber. BV North’s Sam Jones singled off Brooks Jones, and a base hit by Graham followed, advancing Sam Jones to third. Crawford scooped a grounder from Sarna and delivered the throw to Sammy Stoll at first to stop BV North.

Down two runs in the bottom of the fifth, Allen struck out Jones and Paden consecutively before hitting Blettner. Junior Koen Myers tried running out an infield pop-up but came up short for the third out. ending the fifth. Wasted opportunities, such as the empty fifth inning, are what separated BV North from LHS, Brad Stoll said.

BV North blew the doors open in the top of the sixth when Barber knocked a ball deep enough for an inside-the-park grand slam, sending LHS down six runs. With no runs earned in the bottom of the sixth, the Lions turned mound duties to senior Noah Kirk entering the seventh, where LHS registered just one hit by Jones (1B) on its way out of the ballgame.

Next up, LHS hosts Mill Valley on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE:

Blue Valley North 000 204 0 – 6 6 0

Lawrence 000 000 0 – 0 2 2

W – Allen; L – Jones.

Highlights for LHS: Nowak 1-for-2, 2B; Jones 1-for-2, 6.0 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K; Kirk 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K.