Lions, Lady Lions looking for home-field advantage
April 13, 2010

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Both the Greenville Lions and Lady Lions are hoping the home field is an advantage when they return to District 10-4A baseball and softball tonight.

The 4-14-1 Lions, who are 1-8 in district play following a 14-3 loss to Highland Park on Friday night, will entertain Royse City at 7:30 at John Mason Field.

The 11-9-1 Lady Lions, who are 3-7 in district play after losing 6-3 to Royse City, will play host to Newman Smith of Carrollton at 7.

“We played real well at times,” Greenville coach Glenn Banker said of the Lady Lions’ loss to Royse City. “We have that young team mentality.”

Banker said the Lady Lions, who are starting mostly underclassmen, tend to start the game “a little bit in awe” of some of their opponents before settling down.

The Lady Lions have lost to Newman Smith twice already this season, including a 5-1 decision at Carrollton on March 15.

Greenville’s Lions are in the midst of a seven-game homestand that started off with district losses to Rockwall, Rockwall-Heath and Highland Park. The Lions also have home games left on Friday against Newman Smith, April 20 against R.L. Turner and April 23 versus Richardson Pearce.

Greenville is meeting Royse City in a rematch. The Bulldogs won the first encounter, 8-3 at Royse City on March 19. Mitchell Venhaus paced the Bulldogs in that game with a home run.

The Lady Lions have two more remaining home games including Friday versus R.L. Turner and on April 20 against Richardson Pearce.

The Lady Lions will honor their seniors before Friday’s home game. All local and area youth softball players will be admitted free to that game if they’re wearing their team jersey, according to Banker. Other festivities are planned for that game, he said, including live music.