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Pitching carries Tonganoxie

By Eric Sorrentino - | Jun 13, 2007

In between innings of the Tonganoxie vs. Basehor-Linwood game, Chieftains coach Mitch Loomis didn’t say much to starting pitcher Lance Lamborn.

“I left him alone,” Loomis said. “Maybe a little pat on the butt every once in a while, but when he gets locked in, he gets cruising. When he’s throwing strikes and getting people out, it makes my job look easy and makes me look good.”

Lamborn demonstrated a power-pitching clinic in Tonganoxie’s 7-1 victory against Basehor June 5 at the Leavenworth County Fairgrounds. The graduated McLouth High senior struck out 13 Bobcat batters in the seven-inning game and didn’t allow a walk.

“I used the fastball to get up early in the count, then used my off-speed stuff after that,” Lamborn said. “They weren’t really swinging on the first pitch and I knew my fastball would get up in the count against them.”

Tonganoxie (2-3) defeated Basehor, 1-0, in the first game of the doubleheader.

Lamborn’s demeanor on the mound was calm. In the only wild pitch he threw all game, Lamborn looked at his catcher and patted his glove against his chest, as if to say, “My fault.”

Lamborn helped his own cause from the plate as well. He was a home run short of the cycle. In the fifth inning, Lamborn crushed a triple to right field and knocked in Tonganoxie’s final run of the game.

“I had two strikes and was just sitting on a fastball,” Lamborn said. “I let it get deep in my hands and drove it to right.”

The Chieftains had six different hitters produce RBI. Ebbert finished 2-for-3 at the plate, while Logan Forbis finished 2-for-4.