Indians fall short to Paris in Regional semis, 6-5 in 8 innings

NEWTON –– An early lead slowly slipped away and a late comeback ultimately fell short for Lawrenceville High School’s

Lawrenceville’s Leyton Ivers slides headfirst into second base on a steal attempt during Thursday’s IHSA Class 2A Newton Regional semifinal contest. Ivers was safe on the play and he would end up scoring two of Lawrenceville’s five runs, but the Indians lost the game, 6-5, in eight innings. Josh Brown | Daily Record

baseball team Thursday, resulting in an end to the Indians’ season.

The Indians jumped out to an early lead against Paris in their IHSA Class 2A Newton Regional semifinal contest, but could not make it stand up in a 6-5 loss in eight innings.

Lawrenceville opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning thanks two a pair of walks, a fielder’s choice, a balk and an error, then scored another run in the second on a single, two sacrifice bunts and another single for a 3-0 advantage. However, Paris answered with a solo home run in the third inning and two more runs in the fourth to even the score at 3-3.

Lawrenceville’s Eli Vennard lays down a sacrifice bunt during Thursday’s IHSA Class 2A Newton Regional semifinal game against Paris. Vennard’s bunt would help LHS score a run that extended their lead to 3-0 early in the game, but the Indians would end up losing the game, 6-5, in eight innings. Josh Brown | Daily Record

The score remained that way through regulation, but Paris was able to dent the scoreboard again in the top of the eighth, aided by a pair of LHS errors and a wild pitch, giving the Tigers a 6-3 lead. Lawrenceville would chip away, as a single by Landon Sanders and walk from Neilan Bickers brought the tying run to the plate. After Leyton Ivers reached on a fielder’s choice to score a Sanders, Jack Patterson delivered a run-scoring single with two outs to make the score 6-5. Following a pitching change, Emery Ivers walked on four pitches, but the Indians were unable to get the tying run across the plate and the game and their season came to an end.

Sanders led LHS at the plate with two singles, a run batted in and a run scored, while Patterson singled and knocked in a run, Boston Gray singled and scored a run, Leyton Ivers scored two runs and knocked in a run and Maddox Pargin scored a run.

Lawrenceville third baseman Maddox Pargin steps on the bag to force out a Paris runner during Thursday’s IHSA Class 2A Newton Regional semifinal contest. The Indians held a 3-0 lead early, but would end up on the short end of 6-5 decision in eight innings. Josh Brown | Daily Record

Emery Ivers was tagged with the loss in relief, allowing three unearned runs on five hits and three walks in three innings of work. Patterson started and went three-plus innings, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out two and Sanders allowed a hit and struck out one in two scoreless innings of work.

Lawrenceville ended its season with a 17-9 record.