Life in the Suburban West Conference can be rough.

In just a few days a team can be enjoying the fruits of victory and before it knows it, players are brought back to reality with a swift kick in the pants.

Such was the case last week with the boys’ baseball team at Lindbergh High School.

The Flyers (10-3, 4-1 Suburban West) walked away with a hard-fought 13-12 victory over Parkway Central April 12 — only to receive a 10-0 pounding at the hands of the Kirkwood Pioneers April 14.

Lindbergh jumped all over conference rival Marquette April 16 as the Flyers scored seven runs in the first inning in a 12-7 thumping of the Mustangs.

“I was real happy with how we came out that day,” Flyers head coach Darin Scott told the Call.

“They are finally realizing that this is their last chance to play together and that we can’t just show up with our gloves and win a ballgame.”

Senior outfielder Jeff Malke had a solid day at the plate as he went 3-4 with three runs batted in.

Malke currently is batting a stout .452 batting average with eight RBI on 14 hits.

“Jeff’s been real steady for us all season long.” Scott explained.

“He’s settling into the sixth and seventh spot in the lineup and can really provide some punch for us. He does a great job at working the pitcher and the count.”

Lindbergh starting pitcher Scott Hicks received the win as he threw four innings and gave up seven runs on seven hits. Of the seven runs that Hicks gave up, four were unearned.

“He (Hicks) didn’t have the same stuff that he’s had in the earlier part of the season,” Scott said.

“But he keeps us in the ballgame.”

Receiving the save in the Flyers win was junior hurler Justin Miller, who gave up just three hits in three innings pitched as he retired one batter via strikeout.

The save was Miller’s first of the 2004 season.

“Justin’s been doing a good job at coming in and keeping the ball down,” Scott said.

“He puts us in a good position to win some ballgames.”

Wednesday, April 21, marks one of the pivotal game days of the Flyers’ 2004 season as the Lindbergh team travels to Lafayette in a key Suburban West Conference showdown.

“They (Lafayette) have got some guys that can really hit the ball,” Scott said.

“Lafayette is a quality program year in and year out that you know that you have to contend with in order to win the conference.”

The Lindbergh High School boys’ baseball showdown with the Lafayette Lancers is slated for a 4:15 p.m. start.

Lafayette High School is 17050 Clayton Road in Wildwood.