As Lone Tree gets a new baseball and softball seasons underway, the Lions are hoping to make some progress in 2023, whether that’s from the 10 wins the girls picked up or the one for the boys.

Lone Tree is looking to do plenty of scoring in softball this summer, thanks to the return of their top two hitters. Junior Vivian Zarbua had a team-high .395 batting average last year on her way to all-state honors and also led the lineup with 38 runs scored and 32 stolen bases. Senior Lila Bell looks to drive Zaruba and others in after putting up a .329 average, 23 runs scored and 23 runs batted in.

Senior Eden Hogan and juniors Cate Sexton and Rylee Shield will also be solid bats, while the pitching staff will run through junior Alex Dautremont and freshman Abby Zaruba. The season beings for Lion softball this coming Tuesday night against Mediapolis.

Sophomore Emmett Burke and junior Maddox Jondle return to the baseball diamond for Lone Tree after each posting a batting average of over .300 and combining for 20 runs scored and 27 RBI.

Junior Ethan Bockelman is also back after hitting .286 with a team-high six doubles. In the Lions’ pitching rotation, Burke and sophomore Jack Patterson are back after leading the team in innings last season, while Bockelman brings back the lowest earned-run average on the team at 4.88.

Lone Tree suffered a 9-3 loss to West Liberty in their first game of 2024 Tuesday night. The Lions trailed 7-0 after four innings and could never recover. Jondle led the lineup with three hits and three stolen bases, while junior Brody Magurder had a hit and an RBI.

Patterson picked up six strikeouts against one walk and six hits allowed in two-and-two-thirds innings pitched. Lone Tree will next play this coming Tuesday against Mediapolis.