Hits don't translate to wins

Lakeside High coach Jay Matthews thought his team hit the ball well last week.

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The Panthers managed seven hits against Greenbrier, and 11 against Evans as subregion play heated up.

Unfortunately for Matthews, the 18 hits translated into a combined five runs. Lakeside lost both games by a combined 11 runs.

"I was pleased with how we hit," Matthews said after a 9-3 loss to the Knights on Wednesday. You can't go to practice and say, "OK, now runners are in scoring position."

Lakeside led Greenbrier 2-1 after two innings Monday. It was the first time Greenbrier trailed at home this season, and coach Rodney Holder made his team run laps for more than an hour after the game.

The lead wouldn't hold, however. The close plays seemed to all go to the Wolfpack, and Holder's team pulled out a 7-2 win.

"It could have been an entirely different ball game," Matthews said. "When it was 4-2 (Greenbrier), it could have very well been 2-2."

Instead, Lakeside lost its first region game after opening with an 11-2 win against Richmond Academy.

Matthews' team faced a similar situation against the Knights. The Panthers stranded five runners through the first five innings and had a runner picked off.

The Knights first three batters in the third all scored as Evans opened a 4-1 lead, and the Panthers couldn't get their bats going after that.

Matthews said there would probably be some shuffling.

"I've never been to this point in the season without a decisive lineup," he said.

Matthews said he still has hope his team can "make some noise in the region." The Panthers played host to Statesboro on Friday. They play ARC Wednesday before a rematch with the Wolfpack on Friday.

The regular season doesn't matter, Matthews said, unless it translates into success in the region playoffs.

"Games 22 and 23 are the ones that count," he said.