It has been a long while since the Louisburg baseball team had won a Frontier League title — 22 years to be exact.

Although the Wildcats had already clinched at least a share of the title prior to Friday’s home game with Baldwin, they wanted to be selfish.

The Wildcats made sure they got it all to themselves.

Louisburg jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a 12-6 victory over the Bulldogs to secure its first league title since 2002. 

“That is pretty crazy that it has been this long,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We have had some good teams over the years, and this team top to bottom has been awesome. Everyone knows their role and they are laying the groundwork for success in the future as well.”

Pitching played a big role for the Wildcats on Friday as junior Meade Rutherford gave the team five innings and allowed zero earned runs and struck out six.

Senior Declan Battle got the final two innings of work as he struck out two and gave up just two hits. All six of Baldwin’s runs were unearned thanks to some Louisburg errors.

“Meade came out and threw really well,” Larson said. “He gave us five solid innings and Declan came in and shut the door. We took great approaches at the plate and we were able to jump on them early and we never looked back. We probably gave up a couple runs that we shouldn’t have, but at the end of the day we locked them down when we needed to.”

The Wildcats got out to an early lead as they scored one in the first and three more in the second inning. Baldwin cut the Louisburg lead to 4-3 in the top of the fifth, but the Wildcats responded with five runs in their half of the fifth to pull away.

Louisburg sophomore Danny Napier was big at the plate for the Wildcats all night. Napier led the Wildcats with three hits, including a pair of doubles, to go along with 5 RBIs.

Senior Nathaniel Lamm had a solo home run in the contest, while seniors Jack Anderson and Battle each drove home two runs. Senior Jackson Howard and junior Luke Schultz each had an RBI as well.

Sophomore Bristol Barbour had two hits. Senior Brody McGreer scored three runs and another senior, Conner Heston, scored twice.

The Wildcats are now 16-4 on the season as they have put together big victories throughout the year and Friday against Baldwin was no exception.

“It is huge,” Larson said of the league title. “The guys worked really hard for this. Everyone on the team had a job to do, and they came together and they got it done. We found a way to win and the guys have done that over and over this season.”

Now that a league title is out of the way, the Wildcats now have their eyes focused on the final week of the regular season and the postseason. Louisburg will play its final league contest tonight when it travels to Paola for a doubleheader.

The Wildcats will then host Basehor-Linwood for a single game Wednesday, before focusing on the regional tournament. 

It is a group that has pulled together at different times throughout the season and Larson believes they still have more left in them.

“We are starting to play some really good ball right now,” Larson said. “We still have some things we need to clean up. I don’t think we have played our best game yet, and that is what the guys continue to strive for, is to play their best game. We are starting to peak at the right time and hopefully we can roll that into regionals and put a little playoff run together.

“It is a really tight knit group. Everyone is for everyone and they don’t care who gets the job done, as long as it gets done. It starts with the seniors, all the way down to our freshmen on junior varsity. Everyone is for the team and that is all we can ask for.”

It’s been 22 years since Louisburg baseball had found itself atop the Frontier League standings.

That long wait is finally over.

The Wildcats clinched at least a share of the Frontier League title Tuesday as they used a big second inning to propel them to a 16-5 victory over Eudora. Add in the fact it was Senior Night, and it was an emotional night all the way around.

“Clinching a share of the league title is huge for this program,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “This was one of the goals they set at the start of the year and they’ve worked their butts off to make it happen.”

It wasn’t the best start for the Wildcats as they found themselves down five runs after the top of the first inning. It didn’t take long for them to turn it around.

Louisburg (15-4) scored 12 runs in the bottom of the second inning and took a 13-5 lead. It was lead it wouldn’t relinquish.

“We really battled back in that game,” Larson said. “These guys knew they could do it and took a great approach up to the plate. We had some really great team at-bats that got the job done for us.”

The Wildcats got big hits from up and down their lineup. Senior Brody McGreer had two hits and 4 RBIs to help lead the way, while senior Jack Anderson had two hits, including a double and 3 RBIs.

Senior Jackson Howard, junior Luke Schultz and sophomore Danny Napier each drove home two runs, and Schultz added a 2-run triple in the second inning.

Junior Meade Rutherford had an RBI double and senior Nathaniel Lamm also recorded an RBI. Sophomore Bristol Barbour finished with two hits, while senior Declan Battle scored three runs.

Despite getting off to a rocky start in the first, Louisburg starter Alex Saad settled in and pitched three scoreless innings after that. Battle pitched the final inning to secure the win.

“Saad had a tough first inning, but it was really great to see him bounce back the way he did,” Larson said. “He pitched really well after that. Once we got him a lead, we knew he wasn’t going to give it back.”

Clinching a league title was the perfect way for the Wildcats honor their six seniors. Battle, Lamm, Howard, McGreer, Anderson and Conner Heston were all recognized with their parents following the contest.

“These seniors have been great for this program,” Larson said. “They have always done things the right way and have been great role models for the underclassmen. They will definitely be missed.”

The Wildcats were scheduled to play a doubleheader with the Cardinals, but the second game was canceled due to severe weather.

Louisburg will try and win the outright league title Friday when it hosts Baldwin in a makeup contest. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Lewis-Young Park.

Home run barrage leads to split at Chanute

Louisburg traveled to Chanute on Saturday for a pair of games against the Blue Comets and Prairie View.

After a tough 10-6 loss to Chanute, the Wildcat bats came alive in a big way with a 19-3 win over Prairie View. 

The Wildcats hit four home runs in the win over the Buffaloes, including two off the bat of senior Jack Anderson. Sophomore Danny Napier and junior Rylan Carty also homered in the win.

Junior Alex Saad also had a big day at the plate with three hits, including a double and triple, to go along with a team-high 4 RBIs. Junior Meade Rutherford had a double and 2 RBIs.

Anderson also started for Louisburg and picked up the win. He pitched four innings and gave up just one earned run and had four strikeouts. Howard pitched the final inning and struck out the side.

In the first game against Chanute, five Wildcat errors led to four unearned runs for the Blue Comets, which turned out to be the difference.

Chanute jumped out to a 5-1 lead and the Wildcats were unable to play catchup. 

Junior Luke Schultz had a big day at the plate with three hits, including a solo home run. Declan Battle, Napier, Anderson, Schultz and Nathaniel Lamm each had a double in the loss.

LANSING — After Louisburg saw its 9-game winning streak snapped early last week, the Wildcats didn’t waste much time starting a new one. 

Louisburg went on the road for a doubleheader against Lansing, the Wildcats’ second Class 5A opponent of the week, and left with a pair of close victories.

The Wildcats earned a 5-4 victory in the opener Friday. They needed extra innings against the Lions in the nightcap as they earned another 5-4 win.

Louisburg is now 13-2 on the season and currently has the second best record on the east side of Class 4A.

“Going on the road and winning two games is tough,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “The guys competed at the plate and on the mound all night. It was great to see everyone rally together and find a way to win two close games.”

In the opener, the Wildcats got out to the early lead with three runs in the second inning. Sophomore Bristol Barbour singled home Jackson Howard and Jack Anderson, while senior Brody McGreer drove in Nathaniel Lamm with another single.

Lansing scored two in the fourth to cut the Louisburg lead to one, but the Wildcats got those runs right back. In the top of the fifth, Anderson singled home Declan Battle and Luke Schultz to make it a 5-2 game.

The Lions scored two in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one run game, but the Wildcats were able to hold on.

Junior Alex Saad got the win for Louisburg as he gave up four runs on five innings and had a pair of strikeouts. Junior Carter Willey pitched the final two innings and gave up just one hit to get the save.

In the second game, Louisburg scored a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-2 lead after five, but Lansing scored two in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.

It was then when senior Conner Heston provided some heroics. Meade Rutherford led the inning with a walk, while Barbour and Lamm each singled to load the bases. 

Heston followed with a single to score Saad, who was pinch-running for Rutherford, to give the Wildcats the lead back.

“Conner put pressure on them and got the job done,” Larson said. “We talk all the time about putting pressure and he did just that, and it paid off for us.”

Rutherford pitched the final three innings to get the win, including working a scoreless bottom of the eighth. Anderson got the start for Louisburg and pitched five innings and gave up just two earned runs and had four strikeouts.

“Jack Anderson threw really well for us,” Larson said. “He hasn’t gotten much work on the mound this year and he stepped up and competed for us.”

Lamm led the Wildcat offense with a pair of hits, a double and 2 RBIs, while junior Luke Schultz also had two hits. Sophomore Danny Napier and Anderson each added a double as well.

Louisburg is back in action today as the Wildcats travel to Blue Valley High School for a single game. First pitch is set for 4:45 p.m.

Wildcats record road split at Piper

Gusty winds provided an offensive explosion for Louisburg during last Tuesday’s road doubleheader at Piper.

The Wildcats used their bats to hold on for a 19-15 victory over the Pirates in the opener and won their ninth straight game at the time. That streak came to an end a couple hours later.

Piper scored a pair of runs late as the Pirates snapped Louisburg’s streak, 7-5.

“We found a way to win game one in less than ideal conditions,” Larson said. “We took advantage of some opportunities they gave us and turned it into some much needed run support. I liked the way we battled and continued playing hard.”

Louisburg used the long ball to its advantage in the first game as the Wildcats got home runs from Nathaniel Lamm and Declan Battle to power the Wildcats’ offense.

Battle had a home run, a double and 4 RBIs to lead the Wildcat bats, while Lamm also homered and doubled and drove in three runs.

Sophomore Danny Napier also was big at the plate with two doubles and 4 RBIs, while junior Luke Schultz had three hits, a triple and 3 RBIs. Seniors Jackson Howard and Jack Anderson also drove in a run.

The Wildcats took a 11-3 lead going into the bottom of the third before Piper struck for seven in its half of the inning to make it a one-run game. Louisburg answered right back with six in the fourth inning to hold on for the win.

Junior Jayce Toms and Battle combined to throw the first six innings for Louisburg, while junior Carter Willey got the save with an inning of work in the seventh.

In the nightcap, Lamm continued his strong performance at the plate with his second home run of the night — a grand slam — that gave Louisburg a one-run lead in the fourth.

Piper tied it with a run in the fourth and added two more in the fifth to take the lead for good.

Anderson led Louisburg’s bats with two hits, including a solo home run.

Schultz started the game for Louisburg and gave up just one earned run through four innings and struck out five. Three Wildcat errors led to four unearned runs.

TONGANOXIE — It has been several years since the Louisburg baseball team has seen a start to its season like this one.

Going into Thursday’s Frontier League contest at Tonganoxie, the Wildcats had won nine of their first 10 games and had posted one of the top records in Class 4A. 

It only got better as the Wildcats got a 9-4 victory over Tonganoxie to earn another league victory and improved its record to 10-1 on the season. 

“The guys are playing really well right now,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We talked at the start about the potential this team has and so far we are playing up to it. We have a lot of baseball left and need to stay focused on our goal of winning one game at a time.”

Louisburg jumped out to a big lead early and were able to hold on thanks to the pitching of Alex Saad. The Louisburg junior pitched five innings and gave up just one earned run and struck out eight.

Senior Declan Battle came in for the final two innings of relief and gave up just one earned run and struck out three.

“Alex pitched really well all night,” Larson said. “He got ahead in the count against most batters and that helped him a lot.”

The Wildcats jumped out to 5-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning, thanks to a two-run double from Meade Rutherford and an RBI single from Battle in the top of the frame.

Tonganoxie answered with three runs in its half of the third to swing the momentum on its side. Louisburg didn’t waste much time in taking it back.

Sophomore Danny Napier and senior Jackson Howard hit back-to-back home runs to lead off the fourth inning and the Chieftains never threatened again.

“Danny and Jackson going back to back was huge for us,” Larson said. “Having just given up three in the bottom of the third inning, immediately answering with two home runs got the momentum back for us right away.

“Tonganoxie is a great program. Going into their place and finding a way to win is tough. The guys knew they had to play well and they stepped up.”

Battle led the Wildcat bats with four hits on the night to go along with 2 RBIs. Senior Nathaniel Lamm also added two hits and drove in a run. 

Louisburg will try and continue its 8-game winning streak Tuesday when it travels to Piper for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

BONNER SPRINGS — Louisburg couldn’t have asked for a much better start to its season as the Wildcats won seven of their first eight games.

Nothing much changed on the road Tuesday at Bonner Springs. 

The Wildcats cruised to a pair of 7-0 and 5-1 victories over the Braves. Louisburg has now won seven straight games and are now 9-1 on the season.

“It’s always great to go on the road and get a sweep,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We played really well on defense and had some timely hitting.”

Louisburg’s pitching staff held the Braves’ offense to just one run on seven hits over two games and the Wildcats got it started in game one.

Junior Meade Rutherford started the opener and allowed no runs on three hits. Junior Jayce Toms came on in relief and dominated the Bonner lineup.

Toms breezed through four innings of work as he gave up just one hit and struck out seven. 

“Jayce came in and gave us some great innings on the mound,” Larson said. “He really shut the door and didn’t give Bonner Springs a chance to come back.”

Louisburg scored a run in the first, fourth and fifth innings, but broke the game open with four runs in the sixth.

With the bases loaded, Brody McGreer scored on a balk and Declan Battle went home on a passed ball. Sophomore Danny Napier followed up with a double that scored Luke Schultz, while senior Jackson Howard ended the inning with an RBI single.

Napier led the Wildcat offense with a pair of doubles and 2 RBIs and both hits just missed being home runs.

“Danny swung it really well,” Larson said. “He’s had a great approach at the plate and it is showing.”

Senior Nathaniel Lamm had three hits, including a double and Schultz had two hits with a triple and an RBI.

In the nightcap, Schultz got the start for Louisburg and pitched five innings gave up just two hits and struck out four. Battle came in and pitched the final two innings to preserve the win.

One inning was all it took for the Wildcats to seal the win as they scored five runs in the fourth inning.

Senior Conner Heston got the scoring started with an RBI single. Bristol Barbour scored on a passed ball, then Battle singled home Heston and Rylan Carty. Battle went on to score on a wild pitch to complete the inning.

“The fourth inning of that second game was huge for us,” Larson said. “We found a way to put some runs on the board and our defense played really well to shut them down from there.”

Battle led the Wildcat bats with two hits and 2 RBIs, while Napier had his third double of the night.

Louisburg will try and keep its winning streak going Thursday when it travels to Tonganoxie for a single game. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

It was another day and another sweep for the Louisburg baseball team.

The Wildcats hosted Wellsville last Thursday for a doubleheader and cruised to a 14-1 and 10-2 victory over the Eagles at Lewis-Young Park. 

Those victories improved the team’s winning streak to five straight games and the Wildcats are now 7-1 on the season. The hot start has seen their stock skyrocket as Louisburg is currently ranked No. 6 in Class 4A by the Kansas Baseball Coaches Association.

“The guys played well all night,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “We stayed focused throughout the doubleheader and it’s great to walk away with two wins.”

Pitching was a big part of the successful night for Louisburg and it started in the opener with Meade Rutherford. The Wildcat junior pitched a complete game and gave up just one earned run on three hits and struck out three.

Senior Declan Battle pitched five innings in the nightcap as he struck out eight batters and gave up just three hits. Christian Owens and Luke Schultz each pitched an inning and gave up a run.

“Meade and Declan threw really well for us,” Larson said. “They kept hitters off balance all night and got us back in to hit quickly.”

Louisburg struck early in the opener as it scored six runs in the first inning and then answered with an 8-run fourth to all but seal the win.

Sophomore Danny Napier led the Wildcat bats with two doubles and 3 RBIs, while senior Brody McGreer drove home four runs and also recorded two hits and a double.

Battle and Jackson Howard each added a pair of hits, while Jack Anderson finished with a double. Battle, Schultz, Howard, Anderson and Bristol Barbour each had an RBI in the win.

“We had some great team at bats throughout the night,” Larson said. “The guys saw the ball well and hit the ball hard. Usually good things happen when we do that.”

More good things happened in the second game. Louisburg had a 4-1 lead into the sixth inning, where it scored six runs in the frame to pull away.

Howard led Louisburg with two hits, a double and 4 RBIs. His bases loaded double in the sixth got the Wildcat offense off and running.

Schultz had two hits and 2 RBIs for the Wildcats, while Napier and Nathaniel Lamm each had two hits and a run batted in. Barbour also had two hits, including a double, while Battle and Anderson each had RBI base hits.

Louisburg will try for another sweep today as the Wildcats travel to Bonner Springs for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

It may have just been one game in early April, but Tuesday’s victory over Spring Hill is something many Louisburg players know doesn’t happen often.

The Wildcats have been on the losing end of a lot of matchups against the Broncos, but Louisburg used a big inning to come out on top and get a revenge win in the process.

Louisburg scored five runs in the fourth inning and held on for a 5-4 victory over Spring Hill at Lewis-Young Park. It was a bounce back win for the Wildcats after losing 9-0 to the Broncos earlier this season.

“Spring Hill is a really good team,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “Any time we can find a way to beat them is great. It was a big team win that everyone contributed to.”

It started at the plate for the Wildcats. Spring Hill took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, only to see the Wildcats respond in a big way.

The Wildcats (5-1) had three straight singles from Jackson Howard, Jack Anderson and Nathaniel Lamm to load the bases. Meade Rutherford brought Howard home to tie the game on a fielder’s choice.

Sophomore Bristol Barbour came through with another single to score Lamm and give Louisburg the lead. Brody McGreer then reached on an error to load the bases again.

Declan Battle drew a walk that scored Rutherford and Barbour came across home plate on a wild pitch. Howard, who started it all, grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored McGreer.

“Offensively we had great at bats all night,” Larson said. “In that fourth inning, we gave up a run in the top half and immediately answered in the bottom. The guys had great approaches at the plate and found a way to get the job done.”

That would be all the runs the Wildcats would need as it got a strong pitching performance from Alex Saad. The Louisburg junior went six innings and gave up just two earned runs and struck out five.

Louisburg had to go to the pen in the seventh inning and the Broncos were able to mount a comeback with three runs. The bases were loaded with two outs in a one run game when junior Jayce Toms entered the contest.

In a pressure packed situation, Toms got a strikeout and helped give the Wildcats their third straight victory.

“Alex pitched really well,” Larson said. “He threw a ton of strikes and competed his butt off all night. Jayce came in and closed the door. He is great under pressure and proved it again to get that last out for us.”

Lamm had a big night for the Wildcat offense with three hits, while Anderson was 2-for-3 with a triple.

Louisburg is back in action today as the Wildcats host Wellsville for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. at Lewis-Young Park.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week two of the spring sports season, sponsored by Louisburg Family Dental.

NATHANIEL LAMM, SENIOR, BASEBALL

Louisburg senior Nathaniel Lamm had a career day at the plate and was a big part of the Wildcat offense that led to a sweep of Ottawa last Thursday. Lamm put together four hits, but all four went for extra bases, which included two home runs. One of those home runs came late in the first game on a grand slam that sealed a 14-8 win over the Cyclones.

In all, Lamm recorded 11 RBIs between the two games and also hit two doubles. As a team, the Wildcats recorded 35 runs in their two wins. Louisburg is now 5-1 to start the season.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the spring season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.

Previous Winners:

Week 1: Jack Anderson

OTTAWA — The Louisburg baseball team put on a fireworks show Thursday during the Wildcats’ doubleheader at Ottawa as they put together 35 runs in two games.

However, it was Nathaniel Lamm and Luke Schultz that provided the loudest display of them all.

The two Wildcats each recorded two home runs over the Cyclones and led Louisburg to a pair 14-8 and 21-4 victories in what was a rare sweep of Ottawa.

“The guys played well all night,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “Ottawa is a great program and to come out of there with two wins is huge for us. We had a great approach at the plate all night. The guys really saw the ball well. They hit the ball hard and usually good things happen when that’s the case.”

Both Lamm and Schultz put together career-best performances. Lamm was 4-for-9 with two home runs, two doubles and 11 RBIs, to go along with three runs scored. One of those home runs was a grand slam that helped seal the win in the opener.

As for Schultz, he was 4-for-6 with two home runs, but he also walked four times and scored seven runs.

“Luke and Nathaniel led the charge for us,” Larson said. “To have two guys hit multiple home runs for us was huge. Luke got us going with his first home run and Nathaniel gave us some much needed insurance runs in that first game.”

In the opener, the Wildcats got multiple hits from six different players in the lineup and used an 8-run third inning to take a 10-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth inning.

Schultz started that third inning off with a solo home run and the rest of the team followed suit. Lamm then ended an Ottawa rally with a grand slam in the seventh to help put the game away.

Declan Battle, Danny Napier, Jackson Howard and Conner Heston each also had a pair of hits to help the Wildcat bats. Napier added a pair of RBIs and walked twice, while Howard and Jack Anderson also drove home a run.

Junior Alex Saad gave up just one earned run in almost four innings of work and struck out four, while juniors Meade Rutherford and Jayce Toms came in to preserve the win.

It was all Louisburg in the nightcap. The Wildcats used a 7-run second inning to pull away for the 17-run victory as they scored 21 runs on 16 hits.

Lamm had 6 RBIs in the win, while Schultz, Howard and Anderson each drove home three runs. Howard added a pair of doubles, while Napier led the Wildcats with three hits.

Saad and Rylan Carty both had 2 RBIs and Heston scored another run to round out the Wildcat bats. Battle also scored three times.

Sophomore Bristol Barbour pitched two innings and gave up an earned run and had two strikeouts. Anderson and Battle came in for relief to secure the win.

Louisburg will try to keep its winning ways going tonight as it hosts Spring Hill for a single game at Lewis-Young Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Here is the Louisburg Sports Zone Athlete of the Week for week one of the spring sports season, sponsored by Landmark National Bank.

JACK ANDERSON, SENIOR, BASEBALL

Louisburg senior Jack Anderson couldn’t have asked for a better start to his season last week. In the first game of a doubleheader against Harrisonville, Anderson had a memorable performance at the plate that included 7 RBIs in the Wildcats’ season opening victory.

Anderson was clutch the entire game as he finished 4-for-4 with those seven runs batted in, which included a 3-run home run and a double. The Louisburg senior also scored twice in the Wildcats’ sweep of Harrisonville.

The athlete of the week award is announced every Wednesday morning during the spring season and the winner is selected by Louisburg Sports Zone with the help of nominations from coaches.