Leavenworth's Jayne Foskett, left, tags out Free State's Lauren Fox. Regardless, the Firebirds beat the Pioneers, 10-3, Monday at Sport2Sport.

Leavenworth's Jayne Foskett attempts to tag out Free State's Maggie Hull as Hull slides into second base. Free State beat the Pioneers and Shawnee Mission West on Monday at Sport2Sport.

Maggie Hull smacked a deep drive toward the right-field fence, but didn’t know if it would leave the park.

She rounded first base with her head down and kept running at full speed.

“I don’t think she knew it was out until she got to second base,” Free State High softball coach Pam Pine said.

Hull’s two-run home run gave Free State a 5-3 victory against Shawnee Mission West on Monday afternoon at Sport2Sport Complex. Free State then defeated Leavenworth, 10-3, in the second game of the doubleheader.

“I had two strikes on me already, so I needed to really focus,” Hull said about her at-bat in the SM West game, which was tied at 3 before she homered. “It was an inside pitch, which I love, and I ripped it to right field.”

The home run scored senior outfielder Aleese Kopf, who ignited the inning with a triple. Junior pitcher Catherine Smith finished the Vikings with scoreless sixth and seventh innings. She pitched a complete game and earned the victory.

Smith gave up three Vikings runs in the third inning, but didn’t allow a run the rest of the game.

“It seems as though she gets better as the game goes on,” Pine said of Smith. “She seems to throw a little harder later in the game. Her pitches move a little better later in the game.”

Monday represented a few firsts: the first home run in a Free State uniform for the sophomore Hull, along with the first loss of the season for SM West (8-1).

Kopf and Hull, who batted No. 1 and No. 2 in the lineup, respectively, looked like they were running a half-marathon on the bases. Together, the duo went 8-for-14 with five RBIs and three stolen bases in the two-game series.

“Base-running is my favorite part of softball,” said Kopf, who had two stolen bases. “I like to be pretty aggressive out there. I love scoring runs, and I like the excitement of it all.”

The good news for Free State fans is, whoever hits leadoff has produced. Pine has alternated Kopf and sophomore outfielder Rosie Hull at the top of the order. Rosie Hull lit up the stat sheet, going a combined 4-of-7 with two doubles, a triple and a stolen base in the two games.

Pine will determine who hits leadoff on a game-by-game basis. Kopf said she’d be happy wherever Pine placed her in the lineup, but admitted hitting leadoff gave her a thrill.

“As a senior, I like being up at the front so I can take charge and start a rally,” Kopf said. “I feel important wherever I am in the lineup, but I feel more like a leader at the top. I feel like I can get my team going more.”

Kopf displayed her skill on defense as well. She prevented a Leavenworth run when she caught a fly ball and threw out a runner who tried to score from third base. Kopf’s laser toss was on target to the glove of senior catcher Allie Hock, who received an animated “out” call from the home-plate umpire.

Free State (9-1) took advantage of six wild pitches and four errors from Leavenworth (0-8).

The Firebirds actually scored runs by playing small ball. They scored two off sacrifice flies and two more runs off wild pitches. Senior Brooke Abney even broke out a suicide squeeze in the third inning. Rosie Hull timed the bunt perfectly from third base and slid home almost immediately after Leavenworth’s pitcher fielded the ball.

Freshman pitcher Megan Smith pitched a complete game against the Pioneers. Even though she only recorded two strikeouts, Smith didn’t allow a walk.

Free State will play host to undefeated Olathe East at 4 p.m. Wednesday in a makeup game that previously was rained out.