Right now life is good for the boys’ baseball team at Lindbergh Senior High School.
In fact, it’s been so good that the Flyers racked up a record of 5-1 last week, as they reached the championship game of the runners-up bracket in the Midwest Classic at St. Charles West Senior High School.
“I’m cautiously optimistic right now,” Flyers head coach Darin Scott told the Call. “I’m pleasantly surprised with our start and how the kids have handled themselves.”
The Flyers (8-2, 2-0 Suburban West) opened up the Midwest Classic April 8 with a 10-0 bombing of St. Charles West, as senior starting pitcher David Ounanian threw a complete game. In those seven innings pitched, Ounanian allowed just three hits as he walked two batters and retired six via strikeout in his fourth win of the season.
“David threw extremely well,” Scott said. “It also helps when we score six runs in the first inning.”
Lindbergh continued its hot streak April 9 with a 22-10 pounding of Kansas City’s Grandview Senior High School.
“It was one of those games where they ran into us when we were hot,” Scott explained. “They (Grandview) never quit and kept going at us out there. It also gave us a chance to get some guys at bats that normally don’t get to see a lot of playing time.”
Flyers starting pitcher Mark Spinner threw just two innings, as he allowed just one hit and retired two batters by strikeout in his first win of the season. He posted a record of 2-1 in tourney play.
In the semifinal of the Midwest Classic, the Flyers found themselves with a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning over highly ranked Edwardsville, Ill. But three errors by the Flyers in the sixth allowed them to score four runs en route to a 6-5 Edwardsville win.
“We had them (Edwardsville) beat,” Scott said. “Having three errors in one inning definitely let us down.”
The loss to Edwardsville gave Scott and the rest of his staff a chance to analyze their team and point out why they let such a good win slip through their fingers.
“We need to get better defensively to close those games out,” Scott said.
Lindbergh starting pitcher Scott Hicks threw five innings, as he gave up four runs on seven hits and walked one batter. The senior hurler got the no-decision as Spinner received the loss in one inning pitched in relief.
“Scott (Hicks) has been throwing the ball really well,” Scott explained.
The Flyers found themselves in the championship game of the consolation bracket against Francis Howell, which happens to be the defending Class 5 Missouri State Champions.
Yet the title of “Defending State Champions” meant nothing to the Flyers as they sent Francis Howell packing with a 9-0 thumping. Spinner received the win, allowing five hits in five shutout-innings pitched.
Lindbergh is back in action at 4:15 p.m. Friday, April 16, as they play host to Marquette in a key Suburban West Conference showdown.
The Mustangs handed the Flyers losses of 11-1 and 9-5 last season and are picked by many to win the conference this season.
“Going into the season, they (Marquette) were definitely one of the teams to beat in the conference,” Scott said. “Last year they got us twice and they’re someone we’ve got to beat in order to be in the top tier of the conference.”
