Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Mallary Hice high-fives Rory Scarlett after the Firebirds close out a 4-3 win over Lawrence High during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Timely hitting and clutch defense lifted Free State softball to a 4-3 victory over reeling Lawrence High in Thursday night’s City Showdown rivalry clash.
Firebirds’ shortstop Sophia Halton called the road triumph “the highlight” of the team’s young season. The victory extends Free State’s win streak to three games, while Lawrence has now dropped six of seven to open its season.
“I thought we grew up a little bit; this was a tough win,” Free State coach Charley Bowen said of the road matchup in a lively environment. “Coming over here and finding a way to win, I thought it showed character for us.”
Bowen said he’s most impressed by the marked offensive improvement displayed by his squad since its season-opening loss to Olathe Northwest on April 1. He said that a newfound ability to “manufacture runs” was the biggest reason that the Firebirds were able to break open a scoreless contest with a four-run third.
“We’ve been having timely hitting,” Bowen said, as his club is fresh off a 17-run outburst against Olathe North on Tuesday.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State head coach Charley Bowen and shortstop Sofia Halton smile after Halton reaches third, shortly after delivering the Firebirds their first run batted in during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Halton sparked the big frame with an RBI-double. She then proceeded to swipe third base and eventually scored on Mallary Hice’s fielder’s choice groundout for a 2-0 lead.
The electrifying inning was capped off by Avery Sack’s two-RBI double to left-center field as the Firebirds led 4-0. Junior left fielder Sarai Preston laced a double to deep center field and stretched to three bases courtesy of a Lions’ throwing error, but Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris was able to escape the inning without any further damage.
Staked to a four-run advantage, hurler AJ Collins’ effort in the circle was further bolstered by State’s sparkling defensive showing. In the bottom of the fourth and with a runner on third base, Halton snagged a line drive and fired a short strike to Sack at third for the inning-ending double-play.
“I’m just glad that Avery had my back,” Halton said, adding that communication among infielders has been razor sharp.
The Lions mounted a comeback in the fourth as Norris aided her own cause by clubbing a two-RBI double to right field. With Lawrence trailing 4-2, Norris advanced to third courtesy of a Firebirds’ miscue, but was left stranded after Preston’s diving catch in left field.
“It was really like a ‘lock-in’ moment,’” Preston said. “Because there was a similar hit that I didn’t catch. So with that one, I was like ‘If I’m going to go for this, I have to get to it.’”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Lucy Godfrey heads to home plate as she scores a run during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
The Lions further sliced into the lead in the sixth via Julia Norris’ line-smash double to score Addie Foley, as Lawrence trailed 4-3. But the inning concluded with Norris stuck in scoring position as Collins wiggled out of another jam. Collins made life easier on herself in the seventh inning, closing out the contest with a 1-2-3 frame.
Collins said that she’s not been quite as sharp early, but seems to thrive in pressure-cooker scenarios in the late innings.
“I think that’s how I work best,” she said. “Which sucks, because I don’t need to put myself in those positions. But it just kind of happens, and I work through it.”
Bowen added, “She made pitches that allowed our defense to make plays.”
Lawrence coach Mike Byrn lamented his club’s many missed opportunities on the base paths. The Lions stranded four runners over the first two innings, while leaving the bases juiced in the second.
“We had too many missed opportunities with runners in scoring position,” Byrn said. “You leave runners in scoring position like that all day, it becomes a problem. And it ended up being a problem.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Kate Neilson and Lucy Jane Juelsgaard celebrate a scored run during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Byrn was also nonplussed by a call in the fifth inning that saw Lucy Jane Juelsgaard called out for leaving the bag early after drawing a leadoff walk. The call prompted Byrn to chuck his hat into the dugout railing.
Byrn indicated that Juelsgaard did not leave the bag early and was basically being punished for her sheer speed. He added that the umpire observed Juelsgaard “so far down the first baseline, she must have left early.”
Byrn described the call as crippling for his squad’s prospects.
“She was our lead runner,” he said. “And now I can bunt her to third with our four and five hitters up.”
In delivering a lengthy pep talk after the game, Byrn said that the message was to “keep your head up” as the team searches for its identity.
“I don’t think we know who we are,” he said.
“ … If we come out and compete, we still have a chance to finish the year between 10 and 12 wins.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Keira Norris throws a pitch against a Free State batter during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
On a brighter note, Byrn noted that he was impressed with Keira Norris’ performance in the circle. He added that Norris did not benefit from many calls that were made behind the plate.
“I don’t know that we got some calls that we should have gotten,” he said. “I wouldn’t say ‘squeezed, ‘but I didn’t like them.”
Keira Norris, who was most effective when throwing her screwball, struck out five and walked four over seven frames of work.
“I thought she was fantastic,” Byrn said, adding that she “moves the ball really well.”
Collins struck out six and walked six while scattering three hits in the complete-game victory. For Free State at the dish, Preston finished 2 for 4 with a run and two stolen bases; Halton 1 for 3 with an RBI and run scored; and Sack 1 for 4 with two RBIs.
Keira Norris led the way at the plate for Lawrence, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Julia Norris and Foley also chipped in hits.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Sophia Halton, Avery Sack and Mallary Hice smiles after closing out an inning during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Harper Hess hauls in a pop fly during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Sophia Halton throws the ball to first base during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Kate Neilson and Lucy Godfrey celebrate catcher Addie Foley’s catch on a foul ball behind home plate during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Maya Friedman catches the ball in center field during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Lawrence High’s Violet Koehn connects with the ball on a swing during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s AJ Collins high-fives Maya Friedman as they head to the dugout after closing out an inning during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s AJ Collins and Rory Scarlett hug after winning 4-3 over Lawrence High during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Allie Shimanek celebrates after the Firebirds defeated Lawrence High 4-3 during the softball edition of the City Showdown on April 9 at Lawrence High School.
