Talk about a tough week for the Eastview baseball team.

After surrendering late-inning leads in back-to-back losses to Prior Lake and Hopkins, the team learned senior star pitcher and Gophers recruit Ty McDevitt had been shut down indefinitely because of an injury to his throwing shoulder.

“We were devastated when Ty told us the news,” junior pitcher Adam Moorse said.

McDevitt visited Minnesota Twins physician Dan Buss and was told to stop throwing, according to head coach Tom Strey.

“He’s such a competitor that he would do anything to get back in there again, but I don’t know how practical that is,” said Strey, the 10th-year head coach.

The ensuing course of action will be critical. Fortunately for Eastview, the squad has the talent, leadership and Strey’s key word, “resiliency,” to move on.

“Just trying to survive these rough times and look for better times ahead,” Strey said.

Better times came sooner rather than later.

After a pep talk, the Class 3A, 10th-ranked Lightning regained its composure and pulled out a 5-4 extra-innings victory over sixth-ranked Burnsville on Monday afternoon.

Just what the doctor ordered.

“Boy, we needed that,” senior closer and Niagara University recruit Tom Jerle said. “We’ve been playing below our standards lately.”

While Eastview might have lost one of the state’s better arms, pitching still is considered one of its strengths. Moorse threw five shutout innings against Rosemount and allowed only one unearned run against Hopkins. Senior Alec Knop pitches with confidence.

Austin Lindquist, Evan Decovich and some junior varsity arms will allow Strey to piece things together. One thing’s for certain. The lefthanded, hard-throwing Jerle brings stability in the closing role. Those in the know say his slider is filthy.

“I’ve seen him make kids almost fall over with that thing,” Moorse said.

Even senior outfielders Matt Galloway and Matt Larson have yet to take the mound — and both of them have pitched through traveling ball and at the high school level.

The hitting, while inconsistent early in the season, should also be fine. Four senior outfielders return from a successful 2010 season, including Galloway, Larson, Stu Daley and Taylor Branstad. They can all field and will rotate through the designated hitter spot.

Senior second baseman David Barry also will play an important role.

With hitting and pitching apparently solid, Jerle said Eastview’s success will rest in the hands of its defense. Fielding mistakes have contributed to some early season problems, but the clubhouse and coaching staff said they know it will be better.

If the Lightning intends to reach the state tournament in June, fielding needs to become a priority. The team didn’t play errorless baseball on Monday, but Eastview did tighten its defense in a big victory over Burnsville, the defending Class 3A Section 3 champion and 2010 state runner-up.

“We know we can hit; we know we can pitch,” Jerle said. “If our defense can hold up behind our pitching, there’s not a question in my mind that we can beat anybody.”