Inside-the-park home runs weren’t a rarity when Brian Heere was a tad.

“As a kid,” Heere said, “I hit a lot of them, especially in coach-pitch.”

Friday afternoon, Heere slammed his first inside-the-parker in a Lawrence High uniform as the Lions pounded Blue Valley Northwest, 9-3, in a River City Festival game at Hoglund Ballpark.

Perhaps if Heere, the Lions’ center fielder, had played more games at Kansas University’s stadium instead of Ice Field, the Lions’ bandbox home field, he would have circled the bases more often.

“We were talking,” Lions’ coach Brad Stoll said, “and we said that’s something you’ll never see at our place, unless two outfielders run into each other.”

In the sixth inning, with teammate Nick Madl, who had doubled, at second base, the left-handed hitting Heere launched a drive into the left-center-field gap.

BV Northwest center fielder Nick Elster pursued the blast at a bad angle, and by the time he reached the ball, Heere was past second base.

“I was thinking ‘double’ out of the box,” Heere said, “but the ball was in front of me, and I could tell ‘three.’ Then coach (Stoll) said keep going, and I turned on the jets.”

Lawrence High's Brian Herre (8) is congratulated by teammates after smacking an in-the-park homerun against Blue Valley Northwest on Friday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Stoll never hesitated about sending Heere home.

“He’s so quick,” the LHS coach said. “I could see him, and I could see the relay, and it was a no-brainer.”

Now if all goes according to plan, Heere will have plenty of opportunities for more inside-the-park homers at Hoglund Ballpark. He has signed a baseball letter of intent with Kansas University.

“I’m hoping to play next year,” Heere said. “I know I’m going to work my butt off.”

All the Lions worked their wallets off during their two-game appearance in the River City Festival. Friday’s victory came several hours after a 12-2 pasting of Kansas City Rockhurst on Thursday night at Ice Field.

“I issued a challenge,” Stoll said. “I told them the hardest thing to do is put two games together, and we did.”

Left fielder Michael Sickinger, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs in Thursday’s game, was 2-for-4 Friday with a homer and two RBIs. Sickinger’s shot cleared the left-field fence in the third inning.

“Whatever he’s doing,” Stoll said of Sickinger, “he needs to continue doing it. He got that one out and up in a pretty big yard.”

Lawrence (6-4) took advantage of two BV Northwest errors, singles by Marc Albers and Sickinger and Daniel Parker’s double to score four runs in the fourth inning.

Lawrence High Baseball Coach Ritch Price, left, high-fives Michael Sickinger following a route of Blue Valley Northwest on Friday at Hoglund Baseball all Park.

Meanwhile, Joe Kornbrust, one of only two sophomores on the varsity roster, combined with Jordan Guntert on a five-hitter. Kornbrust surrendered a solo home run to BVNW shortstop Taylor Sibala in the fifth.

“Kornbrust needs to be in better condition,” Stoll said. “He was cashed, but he worked hard.”

Lawrence will return to Sunflower League competition Tuesday at Shawnee Mission South.

“We’re playing great right now,” Heere said. “I wish we didn’t have to wait until Tuesday to play again.”