photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence's Nate Kress runs to first while pitcher Hudson Hardesty runs home in a 6-2 loss to Rockhurst on Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Lawrence.

Lawrence baseball couldn’t get enough offense together as the Lions lost 6-2 to Rockhurst on the first day of the River City tournament in Lawrence.

The Hawklets scored first with a run in the top of the first inning. Rockhurst shortstop Peter Nickson got a leadoff walk and advanced to second at the next at-bat. He stole third, and on a sacrifice fly, Nickson got home to give Rockhurst a lead. Following an error, Lawrence pitcher Hudson Hardesty threw his second strikeout for the third out.

“Anytime Hudson steps on the mound, we’re going to have a chance to compete for a win,” Lawrence coach Adam Green said. “He gave us that today. He labored a little early, but when he settled in, he’s good. He deserves more runs than we’re giving him.”

Right fielder Brady Wollesen singled as the leadoff hitter for Lawrence, but a double play in the next at-bat put two outs against the Lions. Hardesty reached on an error, but left fielder Saylor Jackson struck out for the final out of the inning.

The Hawklets reached on another error to start the second inning, but the Lions got the next three outs in order. Rockhurst returned the favor, retiring the Lions in order in the bottom of the second.

Nickson singled as the leadoff hitter in the third for the Hawklets, and with two outs, the Hawklets scored two runs due to an error at center field. Another error at third base got a batter on base, but a flyout to right field brought the third out. Lawrence again failed to get a batter on base in the third as the Hawklets retired the side.

Wollesen caught three fly balls to right field in the top of the fourth as nobody got on base. Green said he was happy with Wollesen’s work offensively and defensively on the day.

“He’s leading our team in multiple ways,” Green said. “He had a ton of putouts on a day when the wind is putting havoc on it. He had two hits, the last to keep us going.”

Shortstop Gavin Taylor started the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single. Jackson was hit by a pitch, which put runners on first and second, and a pickoff attempt in the next at-bat advanced both up a base. First baseman Jonah Stutler then grounded into a fielder’s choice, which brought home Lawrence’s first run.

Rockhurst started the fifth with a double but got out for the next three at-bats. Catcher Will Grimes was the lone Lion to get on base in the fifth with a single.

The Lions switched pitchers in the sixth as Max Hidalgo came in for Hardesty. The Hawklets started with a single before the Lions got the next two batters out. A passed ball on the fourth at-bat of the inning allowed a runner to come home, and the Hawklets took a 4-1 lead.

Hardesty doubled in the sixth with one out, and designated hitter Nate Kress brought him home on a single. Center fielder Jaxon Becker singled to put two runners on base, but a strikeout in the following at-bat ended the inning.

“I’m proud of the compete today,” Green said. “It never felt like we had the momentum, but we just kept hanging around and hanging around, and we ultimately had a shot in the sixth.”

Harrison Cobb pitched the final inning for the Lions. Rockhurst started with a double, and an error at first brought a runner home. A sacrifice fly on the next at-bat gave the Hawklets their sixth run of the game with one out in the seventh. After another single, the Lions ended the half inning with back-to-back outs.

Lawrence started with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before Wollesen hit a ground-rule double. Taylor singled as Wollesen got to third, but a strikeout ended the game with the Lions losing by four runs.

Rockhurst got the win, but Green said it was good for the Lions to go against another great team this season, and that the Lions are better off having played a tough Sunflower League schedule and non-conference schedule.

“We are going to sharpen iron with iron, and hopefully by the end, we’ll be a tough team to handle,” Green said. “We’re going to have to compete. I’m proud of the effort.”

Lawrence will host Blue Springs South on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark for the second day of the River City Tournament at 1:30 p.m.