DEVILS LAKE — Steve Anderson has already given the Lake Region State College baseball program a boost since he took over at the start of last season.
A year after setting the program record for conference wins, the Royals are looking to win a playoff series for the first time ever.
They’ll take a four-game winning streak into the postseason.
“We’re 0-0,” Anderson said. “It’s anybody’s game now. And all year, we’ve talked as a team about making a playoff run and getting hot at the right time, and we’re doing that. Here’s four in a row now, and we’re starting to gel. Time to go keep rewriting the LR baseball record books.”
LRSC (12-35) had some fun Wednesday at DLYA Field, beating the University of North Dakota club team 10-5. It was the team’s annual Sophomore Night, honoring the players who are in their final week as Royals.
Seven LRSC sophomores pitched, with one in each inning.
“Awesome night for the sophomores,” Anderson said. “A chance for everyone to get in and move around and play different positions and get on the mound.”
The Royals have 10 sophomores who are set to graduate shortly.
“Been lucky to have these guys for two years,” Anderson said. “They trusted myself and the coaching staff to lead them, even though eight of them I technically didn’t recruit myself. So the fact they believed in me and trusted what we’re doing, and we’ve been able to do some special things, is awesome.”
A standout from the group has been Lucas Lyons, a left-handed outfielder with speed, power and contact ability who’s been the Royals’ most productive hitter for the last two years.
Lyons walked and scored during a six-run rally on Wednesday. He smacked an RBI single an inning later.
Lyons has hit .407 in conference play this season and well over .300 on the year. He’s tallied three home runs in each of the last two seasons.
“Lucas Lyons is everything you could ever ask for as a coach,” Anderson said. “He’s a five-tool guy, but he never acts like he’s one of the best players. He acts like he’s on the bottom of the roster, and he outworks everyone and doesn’t take anything for granted. He sets the example for the rest of the crew, and works his butt off in the gym and on the field and in the classroom. He’s a heck of a baseball player and an even better person. So it’s been an honor to have him, and he’s having an electric year.”
The only sophomore not in the lineup was Jamison Nelson, a strong contributor to the program who’s been out most of the season with a wrist injury.
Nelson pinch-hit during the bottom of the fourth, in which 10 Royals came to the plate. He went up there showing bunt, but he ended up slapping an RBI single.
He showed bunt again in the fifth and laid it down this time. He perfectly executed a bunt hit to set up an RBI opportunity for Lyons.
“He’s kind of working through it a little bit, as you could probably tell with his approach at the plate; he was just kind of slapping it around a little bit,” Anderson said. “But we’re hopeful that he can continue to recover the way that he has, and be a piece for us this weekend.”
LRSC totaled 10 hits and nine walks at the plate.
Beau Brodina reached base three times out of the leadoff spot. Dane Hagler doubled, walked and recorded the final three outs on the mound. Brodina also pitched an inning.
Logan Enns started. UND led off with a home run to left field to take an early lead. The Fighting Hawks led again, 3-2, with a run against Dayton Christensen in the third. But LRSC came back and made it a laugher in the fourth and fifth.
The Royals grabbed a win after sweeping Dakota College at Bottineau to end their conference season.
They’ve recently gotten Hagler and Hunter Remmick — their top two starting pitchers — back to full health, which means they’ll be good to go this weekend when LRSC takes on Miles Community College in the playoffs in Montana.
MCC is the same team that eliminated the Royals in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
“We’re not done yet,” Anderson said. “This has been a group that has accomplished some things here that have never happened, and they’ve been excellent. But it’s not over.”
Leave a Reply