LA lads top Community Christian
Published 6:21 pm Monday, April 2, 2012
MERRY HILL – Big sticks.
Lawrence spotted visiting Community Christian School a four-run advantage and then the Warriors unleashed an 11-hit attack to come from behind and take the wind out of the Cyclones 15-5 Friday.
Zach Eubanks led Lawrence going 2-for-2 and driving in four runs. He also scored three times. A young Conley Raines overcame a shaky first inning start, but then gathered himself and went on to post the win on the mound.
“I thought Conley pitched a great game and this also gave me a chance to let everybody get some playing time,” said Lawrence coach Robert Kravitz.
Kravitz rested some of the regular Warrior starters for this, one half of Lawrence’s second straight Friday of double-header baseball games. Following the CCS game, the Warriors hosted Upper Room of Dix, New York to complete the twin-bill.
“It was good to see how some of these younger guys responded so I’m proud of them,” he added.
Community Christian scored four runs in the top of the first inning as Raines had trouble settling in and getting his good pitches across. But once he found his groove he was able to seize command of the batters.
In the bottom of the first Lawrence crept within a run of the lead.
Luke Leary opened with a single to right-field. He was able to steal second and advance on to third on the errant pickoff throw and later score on a wild pitch for the Warriors’ first run.
Patrick Castelloe followed Leary with a base-on-balls and a steal of second and third himself. Zach Eubanks then drew a walk and stole second to put both runners in scoring position.
Brandon Smith was next and his single over second base scored pinch-runner Tyler Brickhouse and moved Eubanks to third where he came home with the third run of the inning when Dallas Belch hit a sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the second more errant tosses helped Lawrence to the tying run. Leary walked, went to second on a wild pitch, stole third and came home on another wild pitch to make the score, 4-4.
The Warriors went ahead in the third inning when Belch singled to center field, moved to second on a sacrifice fly by Raines and scored on Cody Elliott’s single to right.
CS came back to post the tying run in the top of the fourth to make it, 5-5.
Lawrence would get 10 runs over the next two innings. In the fourth after walks and passed balls brought in two runs, Eubanks brought in two more with a single into the gap in left center field, then came home on a wild pitch to make it 10-5.
The Warriors collected five more in the bottom of the fifth. With the bases loaded, Leary scored his fourth run of the game when Williams drove him in. Eubanks followed, delivering two more then came home himself on the CCS’s eleventh wild pitch.
Two batters later Ryan Lilley, pinch running for Brandon Smith, came home with the 15th and final run on Raines’ base hit.
“We knew the challenge in front of us,” sighed Cyclones coach Matt Greene, shaking his head. “We were missing a few players. but I don’t think it would’ve made a difference.”
Lawrence raised its record to 12-2 with the win.