Coach Mike Anderson expects to see a fundamentally sound, more experienced baseball team with a deeper pitching staff each time the Leo Lions take the field this season.
He had no reason to change those expectations after Tuesday’s opener at Kennedy High School. The Lions got six innings of shutout pitching from junior Derrick Davis and made two stellar fielding plays that kept the hosts from scoring.
Problem is, they did not swing the bats, failing to take advantage of 10 baserunners and falling 1-0 after Kennedy parlayed two walks and a seeing-eye single into a run in the bottom of the seventh.
“Missed opportunities,” Anderson said. “When we get runners on, we’ve got to get them over and get them in. That’s the key to ‘small ball’.”
And “small ball” will be the essence of Leo’s attack, as the lineup is not exactly stocked with middle-of-the-order boppers.
That said, there is an experienced hand at every position with the exception of catcher, where freshman Kyle Jones is an intriguing prospect.
“He’s got a real feel for the game,” Anderson said. “We don’t want to put too much pressure on him, because he’s a freshman. But he doesn’t handle himself like a freshman.”
Juniors with starting experience made up three-quarters of the starting infield against Kennedy: Devin Vassel at first base, Eddie Hernandez at second, Tyshaun Brown at third. Senior Ian Dunn, another veteran, played shortstop, one of several positions he’s capable of manning. Davis, starting quarterback for the Leo football team, will move around the infield when he’s not pitching.
The all-senior outfield featured Marshawn Durr in left field, Aiden Lott in center and Michael Lewisin right.
Pitching depth is essential in the tough-as-ever Catholic League – Brother Rice, Montini, DePaul Prep, etc. – particularly when weather-induced postponements crowd the schedule with makeup games. Sure enough, Wednesday’s game at Blue Island Eisenhower was a casualty of an afternoon thunderstorm and will be made up later in the season.
But the Lions are better equipped to handle such an eventuality than they have been in the past with Lott, Lewis and Hernandez joining Davis in a veteran rotation.
“I think everybody’s looking forward to a good season,” Anderson said. “We’ve been working hard, we’ve got some experience, and we know what it will take to be successful. Now it’s a matter of getting on the field and doing it.”
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