photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence first baseman Hudson Hardesty touches first base for an out in a 6-3 loss to Shawnee Mission South on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Lawrence.

Lawrence baseball (8-10) lost 6-3 to Shawnee Mission South (7-6) behind self-inflicted errors after the Lions won three of four games last week.

The Raiders took the lead at the top of the first after a double and an error on a throw to first base. The Lions put the next two batters out, including a strikeout from pitcher Brice Schwada.

Lawrence coach Adam Green said the Lions didn’t come to the game ready to play and that the error at the start was an example of that. The Lions struggled to overcome their own mistakes in the game, even after times when the team built some momentum.

“We have a very small margin for error,” Green said. “It’s little things like not getting a good jump on a routine catch. We have the tying run at the plate, and we strike out two times and get nothing out of it. We sure are good at talking and trying to use our mouth, but we need to use our arm and our bat a little more.”

At the other end, Hudson Hardesty singled as the leadoff hitter, but a double play and a strikeout in the next two at-bats ended the inning.

Schwada closed the top of the second inning with a strikeout after allowing a walk and a single. The Lions tied the game in the bottom of the second, starting with singles from Nate Kress and Logan Sheldon, the latter bringing Kress to third base. Kress scored on a fielder’s choice that gave the Raiders their second out, and a strikeout in the next at-bat closed the inning.

The Raiders hit two more singles in the top of the third but didn’t bring anyone home. The Lions took the lead in the bottom of the third, which started with Devin Foster being hit on the first pitch. Logan Harris later singled with one out, and Ethan Curry reached after a catcher’s interference. Kress was hit by a pitch, which brought home a run, and Josh Galbreath was called out after hitting an infield ground ball, though Harris ran home during the play.

Lawrence’s lead didn’t last long. A single and a walk in the second and third at-bats of the inning set up a two-run triple, and a passed ball in the next at-bat gave the Raiders the lead back. The Lions closed the top of the frame with a flyout to Kress in right field. Walks from Tristan Prier and Brady Wollesen were the only times the Lions got on base in the bottom of the fourth.

Shawnee Mission South added two more runs in the top of the fifth inning, which gave them their final 6-3 lead. The Raiders got a single and a walk with two outs before an error on a fly ball to center field gave them two runs.

Harris and Curry reached first base in the bottom of the fifth, but three straight strikeouts ended the inning.

There were several strikeouts while the Lions had runners in scoring position on Tuesday. Green said the team has to be better in those moments.

“That’s just being noncompetitive, and that’s where we’re at,” Green said. “We have to compete every single out.”

Sheldon came in to pitch for Schwada in the top of the sixth, and he threw a strikeout in his first inning while the defense retired three batters in four at-bats. He finished the game with two hits and two walks allowed against a strikeout in two innings. At the plate, the Lions were struck out twice in the bottom of the sixth while only getting a single.

The Raiders got two hits and a walk in the top of the seventh but didn’t bring any runners home, setting up the Lions to take the plate down three runs. Kress was hit by a pitch and was the only Lion to get on base, with the other three batters being struck out again.

Prior to the loss, the Lions won three of four games last week, including two in the River City Tournament in Lawrence. The team has shown Green development and growth in moments like those wins, but the consistency hasn’t been there for the young team.

“That’s why it’s maddening,” Green said. “There’s a lot of guys that are showing up that are embracing the grind. Baseball will humble you. We won three out of four last week, but we’re 0-1 this week. We need to be better — we need to make somebody beat us.”

The Lions have a few road games in the next week, starting with Washburn Rural on Friday and Olathe West on Saturday.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence third baseman Ethan Curry catches an infield fly ball in a 6-3 loss to Shawnee Mission South on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence right fielder Nate Kress runs to first after a hit in a 6-3 loss to Shawnee Mission South on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Lawrence.