Despite record, Lafayette Jeff baseball maintains positive mindset after sectional win

LAFAYETTE — Clayton Richard got a sense this team was different by actions more so than results.

Lafayette Jeff played 25 regular season games and won just five.

The Bronchos endured losses in extra innings or by run rule while the victories were few and far between.

"It's been very frustrating," sophomore catcher Ben Pickering said. "It's been hard to get through this season, but the bond we have keeps us together."

And that's where Richard sensed something different, something special in a group that could've quit.

A lot of teams that go through that kind of season do ultimately roll over and wait for the imminent end.

"Clearly no one wants to be in the position to have that record, but they've always bounced back at practice the next day," said Richard, the former MLB pitcher now in his third season as Lafayette Jeff head baseball coach. "That has been a testament to their mindset. Every loss we've had, we came back and made adjustments the next day and they did it with the smile on their faces."

That's what made Wednesday's Class 4A, Sectional 7 opener at Loeb Stadium so rewarding.

Senior Aiden Marcus was masterful in five innings of relief and Pickering went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in as Lafayette Jeff beat Marion 10-2.

"We're definitely a lot better than 5-20. We all know that. We're 0-0 to start the sectional," Marcus said. "We've just got to brush that off. That's all we can do. No one wants to look at a 5-20 record and carry that with them. We've got to drop that and move on."

Nothing indicated moving forward more than Wednesday night.

The score was 2-2 and typical to a lot of games that ended up turning in the opponent's favor this season.

Lafayette Jeff ace Miles Williams got into early trouble and Richard brought Marcus in.

"Our guys are starting to trust each other and know the next guy out is going to get the job done," Richard said. "There's not that pressure on the individual self and it is starting to show in how we're playing."

Marcus picked off three base runners over the next two innings.

Pickering and Leyton Corbin laced consecutive two-out RBI singles in the fifth inning.

Lafayette Jeff buried Marion with a six-run sixth after Jaymeson Connell, Pickering and Mason Pechin all drove in runs.

"Winning five games all year is rough, but having a positive mentality coming into sectional is definitely what we need," Marcus said. "We all believed."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.