It had been nearly two months since the Greater Loudoun Lions lost a baseball game, a streak that continued into the 14-year-old Babe Ruth World Series this week at Purcellville’s Fireman’s Field.

After opening the series with a win, a spate of uncharacteristically porous defense and a lack of clutch hitting doomed the Lions to two consecutive losses.

“We were on a 28-0-1 roll,” Greater Loudoun manager Mike Stup said. “But it’s baseball, you know.”

To advance into the single-elimination portion of the tournament, the Lions must win Aug. 24 in their final pool-play game, a matchup with Vancouver, Wash. at 8 p.m.

After beating Bryant, Ark., 4-2 on Aug. 21 and falling 11-6 to Waite Park, Minn., on Aug. 22, Greater Loudoun came out for its Aug. 23 tilt against Arlington, Mass., intent on roaring.

Immediately prior to first pitch, the Lions assembled by themselves deep down the left-field line. A few spoke briefly, quietly, then the team gathered in close for a final, loud word before the entire squad sprinted to the dugout, ready to play.

Center fielder Brandall Peters, one of those pre-game speakers, led off the game with a rocket single to left. After AJ Bourscheid failed to lay down a bunt and struck out, Peters stole second, much to the approval of the vocal Lion supporters.

The cheers didn’t last, as Peters jumped too soon off second and was picked off, preventing an early scoring chance. Greater Loudoun’s Brandon Grayson and Josh Sweet then singled, but the opening inning ended without a Lion run.

Stup commented on the missed opportunity.

“We had hits, momentum, energy. Then we can’t execute the bunt and we get picked off, and that’s just setting the wrong tone right out of the gate,” the veteran youth manager said.

A pitchers’ duel developed as Greater Loudoun righty Brady Kaplan matched scoreless frames with Arlington’s sinker-balling lefty Tim Conroy.

In the third inning, Kaplan ran into trouble as Arlington batters put together a string of infield singles, dinking their way to a bases-loaded chance before Hunter Sleeper drove a Kaplan fastball deep into the right-center gap for a three-run double.

When the dust cleared, the Lions found themselves down 5-0.

Greater Loudoun nearly answered on multiple occasions. They put two in scoring position in the fourth but did not score, then loaded the bases in the sixth before Arlington turned an inning-ending double play, their second twin-killing of the game.

“I think we chased some pitches low and beat it into the ground, even in hitters’ counts,” Stup said. “We need to stick with our fastball plan at the plate.”

Conroy went the distance, scattering eight hits but stranding nine Lions on base to earn the shutout.

Kaplan finished what he started too, suffering just the one bad inning. Arlington managed just two hits outside of that five-hit, five-run third frame.

“I thought Kaplan pitched well. There were just a couple of goofy balls hit in the infield in slick conditions,” said Stup, referring to a pre-game rain shower. “What are you gonna do?”

Peters was selected by Babe Ruth League officials as Greater Loudoun’s Player of the Game. The leadoff man drilled a pair of singles, stole a base and played errorless center field, though he did make two outs on the base paths.

Kaplan contributed a single and a double. Grayson singled twice, and turned in one of his customary spectacular catches of a liner from his shortstop post.

Lorenzo Calderon, normally the Lions’ starting left fielder and an offensive table-setter, was held out of action with tight hamstring muscles.

“It’s unfortunate. You outhit a team and I thought Kaplan pitched a heck of a game, and you end up losing,” Stup said. “That’s baseball, right?”