The Lakeland Hawks kicked off their season on March 12 with a tough doubleheader at home against the Timberlake Tigers.
Despite strong individual performances, the Hawks were unable to secure a win, falling 6-5 in the first game and 7-6 in the second, which was called after five innings due to darkness.
“I feel like our pitching had an impact and we were just trying to get in the groove, but when we got the groove we had hit our pitch count,” Jake Larcher said, “There were a lot of balls hit weakly and not solid contact, right to the defense.”
Both games were tightly contested, with the Hawks never allowing the Tigers to gain a significant lead.
In the first game, Lakeland kept things close but couldn’t quite push past the Tigers. The second game, though called early, was equally tight, with the Hawks trailing by just one run when the game ended.
Key players stood out for the Hawks. Junior Jace Taylor showcased his continued skill, scoring a run and stealing three bases over the two games.
Senior Tadgh Ellwood also had a strong showing, recording three hits and contributing two runs. Their leadership was crucial in keeping the games competitive.
Luke Knight also had a good start to his freshman season having 5 K’s on his first mound appearance.
Although the Hawks faced disappointment in their home opener, the close scores reveal the team’s potential.
The key moving forward will be finding more consistency in both offense and defense. With a bit more balance and focus, the Hawks can use these early losses as lessons and aim for stronger performances in the upcoming games.
“Overall, I feel like we were smarter and the defense had the pitchers back, so there were not many errors.” Larcher said.
The Hawks will be at Lewiston High School, March 15th for a double header against the Lewiston Bengals.
