As the wins keep piling up for the Lakewood Rangers Baseball, so does the noise — and the pressure. A dominant 30-2 victory over the Bay Village Rockets on Saturday, May 9, pushed the varsity baseball team to an undefeated 22-0 record this season.
Juniors Jackson Comer and Riley Verderber continue to lead the charge toward what could become one of the most memorable seasons in Lakewood baseball history. The varsity team has turned consistency, leadership and chemistry into an undefeated season that has the entire school and city paying attention.
As the postseason approaches, the Rangers are not only trying to protect their perfect record, but also prove they can make a deep playoff run and finally push past the regional finals.
Head coach Grant Graves, who began coaching youth baseball in Lakewood at just 18 years old before returning to coach at the high school in 2015, said that the team’s success did not come as a surprise to the coaching staff.
“The season is going great so far,” Graves said. “The guys have been incredibly focused and playing well and playing loose.”
The Rangers have played 22 games this season after opening the year with three scrimmages, and they have roughly four games remaining before the playoffs begin. Despite the growing attention surrounding their undefeated record, the Rangers have managed to stay grounded and focused on their game.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time and just focusing on the game that we have, and not games in the past or games in the future.” said Verderber.
That mindset has helped the Rangers win in multiple ways throughout the season. Some victories have been defensive battles, including a 1-0 win over Lincoln County, while others have turned into offensive explosions, such as a 30-2 victory over Bay Village and a notable 8-0 win over St. Edward.
“I think that’s just the hallmark of a good team, when you can win multiple ways.” Said Graves.
Much of that consistency comes from the team’s nine seniors, who have embraced their roles and helped establish a strong culture for the younger players.
“It starts with our seniors,” Graves said. “All nine of them have done an excellent job of fulfilling their role, and the younger guys are just kind of following their lead.”
As expectations continue to rise, the pressure of maintaining an undefeated record could become overwhelming. However, the coach said the players are more focused on making the most of their final season together than worrying about outside expectations.
“I think at this point, our boys really just feel the pressure of the amount of time that we have left together just shrinking,” Graves said. “It’s really not so much about the wins and losses for us. It’s just embracing the time that we have together.”
Even with the team’s success, the season has not come without challenges. Weather delays, schedule changes and the pressure that comes with a strong start have all tested the Rangers throughout the spring. Still, the team has found ways to succeed even when they are not at their best.
“The best part is when we’re not playing our best, or maybe we don’t have our A game, we can still get it done,” Comer said.
Regardless of wins and losses, it’s always emotional and sentimental to watch seniors leave the school and the rest of their communities.
“It really just gave me a real flood of emotions on how connected I think we’ve been together this entire group,” he said. “These boys deserve it, and I think they mean more to me than they’ll ever know,” Coach Graves said.
The Rangers are now the No. 1 team in Ohio Division 2, the No. 2 team in the upper divisions (Divisions 1-3), and the only undefeated high school baseball team in the state.
With the end approaching, the Rangers now turn their attention toward maintaining their momentum and making a deep playoff run. But regardless of how the season ends, the bond this group has created may be what defines them most.
