Ravens and Lions meet on the baseball field tonight

A rivalry clash takes center stage in tonight’s KCII Region Game of the Week, as Hillcrest Academy baseball hosts Lone Tree in its home opener.

It took nine innings Thursday, but the Ravens fought their way to a 1-0 record at Winfield. Taking a 3-0 lead in the first period, Hillcrest added one more in the sixth before giving up four in the bottom half. A seven-run ninth would leave no doubt about an offense with 13 hits and 10 RBIs. Seth Ours hit two of two doubles and also got the victory by pitching the final three and two thirds. Phoenix Anderson, the game’s starter, fanned five in just over five innings of work and also hit two at the plate. Responding to adversity was a good sign for a Raven team that had a perfect conference record a year ago.

The Lone Tree Lions stand in their way, 1-1 after their first week of play and looking for their first Superconference win. After losing their first game 9-3 to West Liberty, the Lions earned a 2-0 win over Springville on Thursday. Lone Tree saw six different players with a hit, including seniors Ethan Bockelman and Harry Brenneman. The tandem of Emmett Burke and Jack Patterson caused crises for the Orioles at the plate. The two combined to allow just three hits, each striking out eight. The Lions return much of last year’s team, losing Mathew Hemsted, Joe Boxwell, Drew Gauley and Caden Smith.

Listen to the KCII Area Game of the Week make its baseball debut tonight as Lone Tree takes on Hillcrest Academy. Pregame coverage begins at 5 p.m. on the KCII3 Stream, available on KCIIradio.com, then its first pitch between the Ravens and Lions at 5:30 p.m. live from Kalona.