ALL LEO HOME GAMES ARE PLAYED AT THE KROC CENTER FIELD.
117th and Aberdeen Street
By Dan McGrath
The Leo Lions played one of their best games of the season in the first round of the IHSA Class 2-A baseball regional at Chicago Christian on Thursday, May 22. But the effort was unavailing as Peotone’s Blue Devils made three early runs stand up for a 3-2 victory that ended Leo’s season.
The Lions finished with a 7-21 record, including 1-13 in the Catholic League. Peotone (10-18) will face host Chicago Christian (23-10) Saturday morning for the regional title and a berth in next week’s Beecher Sectional.
“We played a good, solid game,” Coach Mike Anderson said. “Unfortunately, we have nothing to show for it. But that’s baseball.”
Junior Derrick Davis pitched six strong innings for the Lions, allowing four hits with five strikeouts. But his inability to deal with Ruben Velasco was his undoing. The Peotone third baseman singled and scored on Joe Hasse’s RBI double in the first inning, then launched a two-run home run to right field in the third as the Blue Devils built a 3-0 lead.
Ian Dunn’s triple and Davis’ single in the fifth produced the only run the Lions managed off sophomore starter Tyler Leitelt, who struck out seven in five innings.
Hasse took over in the sixth and Aiden Lott greeted him with a triple, scoring on Josh Richardson’s RBI groundout for a 3-2 score. But Hasse regrouped and struck out three of the next five hitters, retiring the side on just nine pitches in the seventh to close out Peotone’s victory.
Lott, playing center field, was 2-for-3 and gunned down a runner with a strong throw to the plate in his Leo finale. Fellow senior Dunn went 1-for-3 with a triple. He also stole two bases and played errorless ball at shortstop, handling six chances. Along with left fielder Caleb Houston, they were the only seniors who got regular playing time for the Lions.
Meanwhile, freshman Kyle Jones was as good as advertised, solid behind the plate and bringing a good bat to the lineup.