The saying defense wins championships has been true during for the Lone Tree Lion baseball team’s postseason run. The Lions, who have more 17 or more games each of the last four seasons, claimed the Class 1A District 9 championship with solid pitching and fundamental defense. After ending the regular season with a 6-5 victory over the West Burlington Falcons, the Lions have allowed three runs or fewer in all three of their postseason matchups, including a 3-1 victory in the district championship game Saturday evening versus the Pekin Panthers.

A factor in Lone Tree’s playoff success has been the pitching the Lion ace senior Erik Murry. Murry, who helped the Lions advance to the state tournament last season, appeared in all three postseason games as a pitcher. In 13.2 innings pitched last week, Murry earned two victories, allowing three total runs, all of them earned, on six hits, walking five batters and striking out 24.

Sophomore Ross Swinton has also been effective, throwing 6.2 innings last week, allowing a single earned run on two hits, walking seven and striking out 8.

In order to make a return trip to the state tournament, the Lions will have to defeat the last undefeated team left in Iowa. The Van Buren Warriors (28-0 overall), have won their first 28 games of the season including seven by shutout. Senior Garrett Saunders is the leader of the Warriors’ offense, slamming a team leading nine home runs over the fence and driving in 39 runs so far this season. Van Buren has allowed 30 earned runs all season, and no pitcher on the Warriors’ staff has an earned run average above 2.

First pitch of tonight’s Class 1A Subdistrict 5 championship game is set for 7 p.m. Live play-by-play coverage from Fairfield Middle School begins with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m. on AM and FM KCII and KCIIRadio.com.