May 13, 2023
By Fred Liggett
[email protected]
The 2023 high school baseball season is entering post-season play at various times over the next week and it finds all five Lee’s Summit teams looking to win a district championship. The Class 3, District 14 tournament throws its first pitch on Friday, May 12th with games at Barstow High School. The St. Michael’s Guardians are the third seed and entered the final week of the regular season at 15-9. The Guardians first game is on Saturday, May 13th when they play the Holden Eagles, the second seeded team, with a 16-8 mark. With a win the Guardians return to South Kansas City on Monday, May 15th at 4 p.m. for the district title game. The top seeded team is the host Barstow Knights who enter at 18-5.
The Class 4, District 14 tournament is a two-night event and will be played at Summit Christian Academy. The host Eagles, at 12-11, open as the top seed and play KC Southeast at 3 p.m. on Monday, May 15th. With a win the Eagles will play in the district title game against the Center/University Academy winner. The championship game is set for Wednesday, May 17th at 4:30 p.m.
Area fans won’t have to go very far to enjoy some of the Class 6 District 7 tourney games being played at East Trails Middle school. The event host is Lee’s Summit High School. The eight team event includes all three Lee’s Summit Teams with the LS West Titans the number one seeded team. LS North is the fourth seed and host Lee’s Summit Tigers are the number two seeded team. Both Raytown Schools are entered as well as KC Rockhurst, Ray-Pec and Truman. The three-day tourney takes place from May 17-19 with first round action starting at noon on Wednesday, May 17th with LS North facing Truman. At 5 p.m. top seed LS West plays Raytown and the final game of the day finds Lee’s Summit at 7 p.m. playing Raytown South. Semifinal games are set for Thursday, May 18th at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. The district title game will be played at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 19th.
LS West Titans baseball coach Jay Meyer likes the fact, “We’ve been able to play everyone in the district.” Meyer admits “some upsets happen, always one.” Heading into the district tourney Meyer feels, “Lee’s Summit and Rockhurst is playing better and Truman has a couple of good arms.” Regarding the Titans Meyer says his team is “excited, kids are chomping at the bit.” The Titans are “young and athletic” with a lot of sophomores and juniors.
Soon fans will fill the stands cheering for their favorite team to get that extra hit or score just one more run to extend the season one more game. For one entire week all five Lee’s Summit baseball teams will take the field and look to lay claim to a district title.
