Carl Lisher hadn’t had the best night.

The Lawrence High junior had struck out, popped out, lined out to the center fielder — taking a tumble around first base in the process — and struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth inning with the Lions trailing Olathe North in their season opener Thursday at Ice Field.

But when his seventh-inning, two-out single scored Dominick Harrell, capping an LHS rally for a 5-4 win, all that other junk didn’t matter.

“I knew I had to step up big because I messed up the first time,” Lisher said. “I wanted to show the team I could come through.”

The Lions (1-0) scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh, erasing the Eagles’ 4-1 lead. Until then, LHS had left 12 men on base, including leaving the bases loaded twice. Lawrence’s only run was senior Tommy Mangino’s solo home run in the fifth inning.

So when the Lions started the seventh with seniors Aaron Madill and Ryan Rowland reaching base on walks, LHS coach David Petry hoped it would spark some offense.

He just didn’t think it would take that long.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come down to the last batter like that,” Petry said. “We had our opportunities. We just weren’t coming through.”

Lawrence High catcher Tommy Mangino made two putouts on the same play against Olathe North. Above, Mangino tags Dustin Moomau, who was trying to score on Doug Reorda's single. Below, Reorda is caught by Mangino between third base and second base. The Lions won, 5-4, Thursday at Ice Field.

Senior Matt Johnson singled in Madill, then Harrell walked to load the bases. North pulled starting pitcher Allen Stuhr, but his reliever, Brant Combs, walked LHS junior Ryan Engel on four pitches, scoring Rowland.

Senior Kyle McManness was hit by the next pitch, scoring Johnson. After Mangino struck out, Lisher, who was down 0-2 in the count, came through with a bouncing single up the middle.

Not only did the finish make for a dramatic opener, but Petry said it might be just what the Lions needed heading into Saturday’s doubleheader against Lee’s Summit North, Mo.

“As long as we come out on top, I don’t mind,” he said. “I feel pretty good about the way we came back.”

LHS senior Taylor Martin started against the Eagles, allowing all four runs on nine hits in five innings. He never dominated, but didn’t look bad either.

“He’s a little rusty,” Petry said. “We haven’t been working on pitching as much as we needed to.”

Madill pitched the sixth and seventh innings for the win, striking out two batters and allowing just one baserunner.

“I told the kids, win or lose, I wasn’t disappointed with the way we played,” Petry said. “There were seven players playing their first varsity game. For us to come back like that was big.”