Lakers Baseball Team Tops North Farmington, 5-2

While the North Farmington High School Raiders mounted a rally attempt in the bottom of the third inning, after scoring two runs but still trailing 4-2, Lakers senior pitcher Eric Steele knew that with two outs, he needed to relax.

“He’s one of those pitchers whose command is good, but every now and then he needs a breather to compose himself. He really has electric stuff and every now and then as a coach, you need to go back in there and get him in the zone,” Lakers head coach Eric Pierce said.

The Raiders threatened with senior captain Travis Hebden at the plate and Bobby Lett — who had singled home his brother, David, earlier in the inning — at first base. Steele responded by flicking the ball over to first base and picking off Lett for the third out to escape the jam.

The Raiders wouldn’t score again in the 5-2 loss at home Tuesday.

“I was stealing second base, but that’s a sophomore player (Lett) with not as much experience as some of the other guys,” Raiders Head Coach Michael O’Connell said. “It hurt us. It was close, but I never really felt like we were in it, even towards the end.”

Steele threw the complete game and allowed four hits with six strikeouts and two walks to help improve the Lakers’ record to 16-10 (8-7) on the season. Steele was aided by junior outfielder Joey Hartfelder, who hit a home run that also scored junior infielder Michael Curtis to put the Lakers on the board with two outs in the first inning. Hartfelder finished 2-3, including an RBI double that brought in Curtis to bring the score to 4-0 in the top of the third inning.

“It’s a lot easier pitching with a lead, because I can throw first-pitch fastballs,” said Steele, at the with five other senior teammates. “You don’t have to switch it up with the off-speed early in the count. My offense will give me more runs as long as I got out the inning.”

Giving up walks hurt the Raiders on the scoreboard. Steele got on base in the top of the second after drawing four balls from sophomore starting pitcher Sterling Sharp, then pinch runner Zach O’Hara scored on an outfield single by junior first baseman Tyler Grafmiller.

Junior outfielder Marcus Washington was walked to lead off the top of the sixth inning, then stole second and third before advancing home on an error to bring the score to 5-2.

“We worked (Sharp), and we got into favorable counts, and we were aggressive on the basepaths,” Pierce said. “It’s very important, especially when you have a pitcher like Sterling on the mound. He’s their number-one and he’s a very good pitcher.”

O’Connell said that the Raiders, who fell to 10-14-1 (7-6) on the season, will have to do a better job of scoring insurance runs for Sharp.

"He’s 5-1 now. This is his first loss. We just didn’t hit the ball,” O’Connell said. “I keep forgetting that he’s only 15 (years old), because he’s my best pitcher. I would hope that he would learn from Steele, because (Sharp) has a lot of baseball left.”

The Lakers play a double-header against Waterford Kettering at home on Thursday, then travel to Birmingham Groves Friday.

The Raiders play Birmingham Groves on Wednesday, then travel to Royal Oak Thursday.