LHS baseball team opens season 6-0

Cole Spieler gets the out at first in the Orioles’ match-up against Beresford. 

The Lennox High School baseball team enjoyed a busy week that saw the team record four wins, improving their record to 6-0. 

On Monday, April 6 the Orioles battled back from an early deficit to earn a 13-10 win over Madison. 

Lennox struck first in the bottom of the opening inning, taking advantage of control issues on the mound. After three hit batters and a pair of walks, the Orioles pushed across two runs for an early 2-0 lead.

Madison responded in a big way in the second inning, capitalizing on walks and timely hits to plate six runs and take a 6-2 advantage. The Bulldogs added three more in the third inning to extend their lead to 9-2, putting Lennox in an early hole.

The Orioles began chipping away in the third inning, scoring twice to make it 9-4, and continued to close the gap in the fourth. Lennox added two more runs in the inning, helped by a Madison error, to pull within 9-6.

After a quiet fifth inning, Lennox delivered its biggest surge in the sixth. The Orioles drew multiple walks and took advantage of hit batters and defensive miscues. A key bases-loaded sequence, highlighted by a fly ball error that cleared the bases, helped Lennox score seven runs in the inning and take a 13-9 lead.

Madison attempted a comeback in the seventh, loading the bases and scoring one run, but Lennox held firm defensively to secure the 13-10 victory.

For the Orioles, Jaxson Bittner, Sam Bambas, and Justin Butler each had hits in the game. Bambas recorded three RBIs.

On the mound were Bittner, Logan VonHaden, and Gabe Veurink. Bittner recorded three strikeouts and allowed four runs during his time on the mound. VonHaden allowed five runs and recorded one strike out and Veurink allowed zero runs and recorded seven strike-outs. 

On Wednesday, April 8 the Orioles used a fast start and a strong performance on the mound to defeat Tri-Valley, 7-1. 

Lennox wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning. After a lead-off bunt single by Bittner and a sacrifice bunt from Cade Aasheim, the Orioles capitalized on a Tri-Valley error and a timely hit from Bambas to take a 3-0 lead.

On the mound, Cole Spieler set the tone early. After working out of a first-inning jam that saw Tri-Valley put runners on second and third, Spieler settled in and limited the Mustangs’ offense. He was backed by a solid defensive effort, including a key double play in the third inning that erased a scoring threat.

Tri-Valley’s lone run came in the fourth inning, taking advantage of a Lennox error to cut the lead to 3-1. The Orioles responded in the bottom half of the inning, adding a run when courtesy runner Justin Butler came around to score on a passed ball to make it 4-1.

Lennox extended its lead in the fifth inning. After Bittner reached base and eventually scored on a Tri-Valley miscue, the Orioles added two more runs on an RBI single from Mason Reischl to push the advantage to 7-1.

From there, Lennox pitching and defense took over. Spieler continued to keep Tri-Valley off balance, recording multiple strikeouts and allowing minimal traffic on the bases through the middle innings. He finished with four strike-outs in the game. Reischl also recorded two strike-outs on the mound. 

On Friday, April 10 the Orioles shook off an early deficit and used steady offense and solid pitching to defeat Beresford Area, 8-2. 

Beresford Area struck first in the top of the opening inning, taking advantage of a Lennox error and a groundout to bring home two runs for a 2-0 lead.

The Orioles answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. After Bittner reached on a walk and advanced into scoring position, Lennox capitalized on patient at-bats and timely hitting. Bambas delivered a key RBI single, and the Orioles added two more runs with the help of a wild pitch and aggressive baserunning to take a 4-2 lead after one inning.

From there, Lennox pitching settled in. Bambas worked through early traffic and kept Beresford Area off the scoreboard over the next several innings, stranding runners and recording key strikeouts. The Orioles defense backed him up with several clean innings, including a double play in the sixth to halt a potential rally.

Lennox continued to build its lead in the fifth inning. Veurink drove in a run with a single, and Aasheim followed with another RBI hit to extend the advantage to 6-2.

The Orioles added two more insurance runs late in the game. In the sixth inning, Spieler tripled and later scored, while Lennox tacked on another run on a fielder’s choice to push the lead to 8-2.

Talen Eich came on in relief and closed out the game, helping secure the victory as the Orioles held Beresford Area scoreless over the final innings.

The Orioles key third-inning rally and strong pitching to defeat Hanson, 6-3, on Sunday, April 12.

After two scoreless innings, Hanson broke through in the top of the third. Following a lead-off walk, the Beavers executed a sacrifice bunt to bring home a run and take a 1-0 lead.

Lennox answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. The Orioles strung together a series of hits, including bunt singles and timely contact, to generate offense. RBI hits from Aasheim, along with productive outs, helped Lennox plate three runs and take a 3-1 advantage.

Pitcher Reischl settled in after the early run, keeping Hanson off balance through the middle innings. The Orioles defense also made key plays behind him, including a pair of pickoffs that erased potential scoring threats.

Lennox added to its lead in the fifth inning. After loading the bases, the Orioles took advantage of a Hanson error to score a run before Bambas delivered a two-run single to extend the lead to 6-1.

Hanson mounted a late push in the sixth inning, drawing several walks to plate two runs and cut the deficit to 6-3. Lennox responded by turning to its bullpen, with Veurink and VonHaden combining to limit further damage and preserve the lead.

In the seventh, Hanson threatened again by putting runners on base, but VonHaden shut the door with a strikeout to end the game.

Lennox defeated Sioux Falls Christian on Monday, April 13. Complete results in next week paper. They will be out west taking on Rapid City Christian on Saturday, April 18 in double header action and Platte on Sunday, April 19 in double header action. The Orioles will be home again on Friday, April 24 when they take on Vermillion in a 5:30 p.m. match-up.