The Lakewood Baseball team came out swinging this season. On April 10, they defeated Normandy in a game where Jackson Comer pitched three shutout, no-hit innings with three strikeouts, and strong performances from all the players, including stellar game play by Cooper Russell, Nick Hart, and Drew Jones.
This year, a focus on connection and perseverance paired with powerful play have contributed to the Rangers’ successful start, and their performance has sparked excitement for Lakewood sports.
In conference play, the Rangers suffered a close 3-2 loss to Rocky River in an extra-innings battle but rebounded with the 12-0 victory over Normandy in just five innings. Their non-conference record includes wins of 3-1 against Avon Lake, 2-1 against Avon, and 8-3 against Elyria, along with a 9-5 loss to St. Ignatius. In the preseason, Prep Baseball Ohio ranked them 25th in the state overall and 5th in Division II, while the Coaches Poll placed them 9th in Division II before the season and moved them up to 7th after Week 1.
A key to their success lies in their mental approach. “We’ve always lived by this rule, which is go 1 and 0. So we think about that for every game and just forget about the past, forget about the future. Just go 1 and 0 for today,” Cooper Russell said. “When we are down, we just try to get our energy up because we know we can come back. Trying not to tense up and just trust ourselves.”
Head coach Grant Graves plays a critical role in guiding the team to victory each game and encourages his players to continuously improve.
“I hope that my players take the best versions of themselves away from our coaching advice,” Coach Graves said. “We try to make sure that if we’re giving a player advice, it’s rooted in something positive and going to help them make positive changes that they need to make. What I prioritize most when I’m coaching is the experience players are having. I think we strive to be competitive, and we strive to play winning baseball and do the things that we need to do to win. I make sure their experience is the best possible within all the hard work and all the hours they are putting in.”
The players also contribute significantly to the team’s efforts. “For myself, my goal is to fill my role to help the team and be as successful as possible,” Tyler Laidley said. “Before a game, the team all warms up, and on a good day, I’ll have time to do individual preparations.”
The excitement surrounding the Lakewood baseball team extends beyond the players and coaches. “I feel a complete sense of comfort and belonging,” Lakewood teacher Dr. Greanoff said. “I just love especially being at Lakewood games because that was what I did, and I always felt more comfortable with the glove on my hand than any other thing. So I just really enjoy watching it and getting into it.”
Having won the GLC-West Championship last year, the team is no doubt pushing even harder to achieve similar success again. With dedication and hard work that is witnessed both on and off the field, the 2025 Lakewood Rangers baseball team demonstrates relentless effort and collective commitment to camaraderie and success.
