Free State senior Kasey Asher wasn’t about to let this one get away.

She didn’t care that Wednesday’s continuing series with rival Lawrence High was starting its second day or had moved to its third location.

Asher just knew that the Firebirds held a 1-0 lead, and in Asher’s high school career there had been only one time that FSHS had held on to defeat LHS.

Make that two  as Asher came up big Wednesday with a lofting double to left field that hit the fence on the fly and easily scored freshman Ashley Wagner, who had just reached on a double. The run provided all the insurance the Firebirds would need as they shut out the Lions, 2-0, at Youth Sports Inc. fields.

“It felt real good,” said Asher of the rivalry victory. “It was probably the biggest win of the season and knowing that the seniors had only beaten them once before makes it all that more special.”

While the win was just the fourth of the year for the Firebirds (4-14), coach Pam Pine thinks things could have been different this season if FSHS would have played more like it did Wednesday.

“It’d be great if they’d show this much emotion every game,” Pine said. “It feels really good to beat them (LHS) and it makes everyone feel a little bit better about themselves, especially considering how unique this series was.”

While Asher had plenty of reason to feel good Wednesday, senior Katrina Morriss and freshman Wagner also had games to glow about.

Each collected three of Free State’s nine hits while Wagner scored on Asher’s double and knocked in Free State’s first run on Tuesday.

Wednesday’s game originally started Tuesday evening at Clinton Lake Softball Complex after LHS won the first game of the doubleheader, which was originally scheduled to be played at Holcom Park, 3-1. But after an inning and half, lightning and rain again postponed things.

Free State, however, had little trouble getting back on track after Pine gave a quick speech when her team finally finished the second inning.

“I told them we really looked flat,” she said. “But we were the ones holding the 1-0 lead and everything was against them (LHS).”

The Firebirds responded in the third, despite starting off with two outs.

Wagner blasted the ball over Megan Cooper’s head for a stand-up double and had no problem scoring on Asher’s hit.

“At first I kind of though it was gone,” Asher said. “It just kept going and I felt it had hit the sweet spot on the bat.”

It didn’t, but LHS (9-11) still couldn’t mount any solid threat.

The Lions left two runners on base in both the third and fourth innings and their last opportunity came in the seventh when Micaela Hill led off with a single.

Hill reached second after a wild pitch but would stay stranded there when the next two batters grounded out.

“It’s always big to win this one,” Pine said. “We really played well today.”