PBR Illinois Player Of The Week: RHP Grant Leader

Lyons had a crucial week with heavy West Suburban Conference implications and their prized junior arm, righty Grant Leader, was at the center of it.

Leader started last Tuesday’s game against Downers Grove South and was perfect in his two innings of work. He struck out five of the six batters he faced and it allowed Lyons to get out to an early 1-0 lead. South and Lyons went back and forth for the remainder of the game until South finally came out on top after 10 innings.

Since that loss, the Lions have won four of five games, including two critical games against conference rivals Oak Park-River Forest. Leader started the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and he was responsible for handing the Huskies their first loss of 2018. Leader was typically electric in the start. He struck out 14 Huskies, walked none, in his 6.2 innings of work. He allowed no runs and only two hits in the enormous victory.

That momentum from the game one win allowed Lyons to sweep OPRF with another win in game two.

Grant Leader (2.11.18)

On the season, Leader has now amassed 47 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. In six starts this season, the Illinois commit is 2-1 and has maintained an ERA of 1.25 with only nine hits allowed and 11 walks.

His 19 strikeouts in 8.2 pressure-packed, shutout innings last week allows us to anoint him with player of the week honors. For his efforts, Leader has been named the PBR Player of the Week for the week of April 16-23.