Lawrence High’s Haley Bowlin sure wasn’t feeling good on Thursday.

But the senior, sick from the flu, still managed to come through with two big doubles for Lawrence High in its season-opening softball doubleheader against Shawnee Mission South at Holcom Park.

So when Bowlin came to bat in the bottom of the seventh of the second game with two outs, the bases loaded and LHS down two runs, Lions coach Reenie Stogsdill liked her chances.

“I thought she was going to do it,” said Stogsdill. “She was hitting the ball hard all day.”

Unfortunately, Bowlin struck out swinging as SM South prevailed 4-2.

“I was out in front of the ball all day,” Bowlin said. “And there I didn’t do some of the things I should have and it didn’t work out.”

Despite the loss in the second game  which came after the Raiders held off two late Lion rallies  Stogsdill remained upbeat, especially after LHS won the opener, 2-1.

“I knew there was going to be some mistakes with it being the first game and all,” she said. “But I was really impressed with the way they battled and gave themselves late chances in the second game.”

The Lions didn’t need any comeback bids in the first game. LHS scored two quick runs in the first and pitcher Ashley Burnett took care of the rest.

The Raiders struck early in the second game, scoring three in the first inning.

LHS scored a run in the second, but SM South countered with a run in the top of the third inning.

Burnett relieved Larissa Johnson in the fourth and got the Lions out of jams in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings when the Raiders left two runners on base each time.

LHS rallied in the sixth when Bowlin crushed a shot to center field that just missed clearing the fence. The double scored catcher Jennifer Narcomey, who led off the inning with a bunt.

Next for LHS is a Tuesday doubleheader at Olathe South.

Lawrence 2, SM South 1

SM South (2-1) 000 001 0 Â 1 7 1

Lawrence (1-0) 200 000 x  2 6 1

WP Â Ashley Burnett (1-0). LP Â Lauren Bradley.

2B Â LHS: Haley Bowlin, Larissa Johnson.

SM South 4, Lawrence 2

SM South (3-1) 301 000 0 Â 4 5 4

Lawrence (1-1) 010 001 0 Â 2 6 0

WP Â Angela Nigro. LP Â Larissa Johnson (0-1).

2B Â LHS: Bowlin.