It will not be easy for this young, inexperienced team to live up to the standard of last year’s State Championship team. With many new players on varsity, there are still some players with experience from State last year.
For the first test of the season, the Lions went to Oklahoma for out-of-state competition.
“Going to Oklahoma to play baseball is something we do every year,” assistant varsity Coach Adam Green said. “It’s a way to see where the team is at early in the season.”
Winning State last year has been a motivational factor for this team.
“We have high expectations for this season,” Green said. “We want to win the Regional tournament and go to the State tournament.”
Ultimately though, there is a goal every team is trying to achieve. Having achieved that goal last year, this year’s team is playing with a bullseye on its back.
“We want to repeat winning State,” head Coach Brad Stoll said. “It’s a great feeling to win State, to see the dog pile and to see all the seniors go out on top.”
Winning State drew some attention to the Lions, and the team finished the season ranked No. 27 in the nation. However, after winning State the team has had to deal with much higher expectations.
“It helped a lot to be on a nationally ranked team, but there is more pressure,” senior pitcher Albert Minnis said. “We have trained harder than last year, and we still have the same high expectations.”
Minnis, who transferred to Lawrence High last year, played an integral part of last year’s State Championship team and has accepted a baseball scholarship to Wichita State.
Even though it is not completed, the addition of a new stadium helps the Lions schedule practices easier and the AstroTurf allows them to play in all conditions.
“The new stadium is nice,” Green said. “We are able to practice everyday, because of the AstroTurf, and it’s [in] a better location.”
The stadium also allows the team to move up practice time by 15 minutes.
The Lions anticipate opening the new stadium tomorrow for their next home game against SM North.
