Teams with a minimal amount of seniors are often in search of leadership.

Lone Tree baseball needed to look no further than center fielder Alex Viner.

“Alex has just been that positive kid,” Lone Tree Coach Mike Close said. “Being that senior for us or one of our two seniors, he is probably the one that has the most varsity experience. ... He does a heck of a job in center field for us. He is definitely the general out there. Just a fantastic, fantastic kid and somebody that I think everybody wants to have, somebody like that on their team.”

As a multisport standout for Lone Tree in baseball, basketball, football and track, Viner has dealt with his share of adversity during athletic endeavors. In response, he takes a vocal approach that lifts up his teammates and can be applied to all sports.

“Just keeping everyone’s heads up,” said Viner, who will pursue a degree in industrial engineering at he University of Iowa beginning in the fall. “You know mistakes happen. We just have to keep our heads up. No negativity. Try and stay positive.”

The leadership of both Viner and fellow senior Aiden Forbes has helped shape a roster of players, some who are starting to figure things out and others who are emerging as nice surprises.

Junior Tyler Bell has become a force offensively and leads the team in batting average (.375), hits (15), doubles (3), home runs (2) and runs batted in (16). After not playing baseball for a few years, junior Will Kleckner is hitting .286 with 15 RBIs. Close also praised sophomore Joe Boxwell, a first-year varsity player who is competing and developing into a valuable dugout presence that is getting more on-field opportunities.

“Our biggest thing is just being able to do really well in all three phases of the game,” Close said. “Play good defense, get good pitching and be able to have timely hitting, good at-bats, just kind of a good offensive performance. It is something that we have had some moments of having a lot of success there, and then we have also had some moments of not being able to do all three. That is kind of the biggest thing for us.”

The Lions (7-10, 5-7 Southeast Iowa Super Conference) were on the verge of ending their recent losing skid at home June 21 against Louisa-Muscatine until Mother Nature intervened in the fourth inning with Lone Tree ahead, 5-0.

Junior left-handed pitcher Adam Knock had pitched four scoreless innings when play was suspended, which is a boost to a pitching staff that includes a pair of juniors with 3-1 records, Gavin Pourroy and Cade Shield.

“Some of our young pitchers are really stepping up in some big games and keeping us in the game,” Close said. “We have just had a hard time putting a whole game together, but I would say those guys are doing a really great job of just kind of keeping us moving through some of these games and the success that we have had.”

Continuing weather has prevented the resumption of that game and also postponed a Thursday road tilt against Central Lee.

Lone Tree hoped to carry its positive momentum into the final week of the regular season beginning Monday at home against Pekin.

Postseason district play in Class 1A begins July 10.

“Just finishing the season on a positive note,” Viner said. “Staying on that high road. ... I think we are a great baseball team when we play our baseball and I think we just need to do that.”