The hoops Coyotes went 3-12 in Pub play (and 4-14 overall) and the diamond version did not claim their first win until . . . hey, whadaya know, it was Monday.
"I get upset over losses. They make me mad," Landis said. "I complain to my parents a lot, and to my brothers. They're getting pretty sick of me.
"Nah, actually they try to help. Just tell me to keep playing hard."
Though it dragged an 0-8 record into the Division A contest, vs. visiting Northeast, Towne rolled to a 12-2 victory. Better yet, it needed just five innings.
Coach Kyle Riley was so happy afterward, he told his players, "I wish I had a game ball for all of you."
Batting righthanded in the No. 5 hole, Landis, a rightfielder, went 3-for-4 with one RBI. His one out might have come on his hardest hit ball - a liner to centerfielder Michael Samarco. His other three at-bats featured well-struck grounders through the left side; he benefited from a bad hop on one of them. Also, he stole a base and scored two runs.
As always, Landis' parents, Georgianna and Bill, were on hand, as was a brother and former Towne player, Ryan. An older brother, Bill, is enolled at Penn State.
The Coyotes' baseball season had not been a complete disaster. In fact, three times they suffered one-run losses and dropped another by two.
"It seems like we always fight back in the last inning," Landis said, over the incessant jingle of a nearby ice cream truck. "We need to play hard from the start, like we did today. This was the first time our bats were alive for the whole game.
"We do have good hitters. It just doesn't show, always."
Towne scored in all five frames. George Klein went 2-for-2 with a two walks, a triple and two RBI. Matt Kubacki collected one RBI apiece on a single and double. Markus Malave and Bobby Lopez (RBI) posted two hits each.
The Coyotes scored five times in the fifth, and Landis uncorked the game's best line.
