Lawrence High's Sydney Seratte delivers against Leavenworth. Seratte pitched a perfect game in the Lions' 8-0 victory Monday over Leavenworth at Sport2Sport.

Lawrence High Center fielder Sam Hays goes after a ball in the Lions' 6-5 loss to Shawnee Mission West. The setback followed an 8-0 victory Monday over Leavenworth at Sport2Sport.

After Lawrence High’s 8-0 softball victory against Leavenworth, pitcher Sydney Seratte crouched down to pick up a handful of infield dirt.

One could hardly blame her for grabbing a grimy souvenir. The senior pitched a perfect game Monday afternoon at the Sport2Sport complex.

In the second game of a two-team twinbill, the Lions fell, 6-5, to Shawnee Mission West.

Seratte, who said she previously never had come close to a no-hitter, started pitching full-time this season.

“Pitching’s kind of new to me,” she said. “So it’s pretty nice to have some success.”

After completing her flawless performance, Seratte remained even-keeled. She did not pump her first. She did not jump and down. She did not scream in exultation. When asked what keyed her no-hitter, she modestly credited her teammates.

“We were playing solid, solid defense,” Seratte said. “It was probably our best defensive game all year.”

She became aware of her pending perfection during the fifth inning, but the Lions remained superstitiously quiet until senior Lauren Kelly urged her team to “get a no-hitter” for Seratte.

“Then I got a little nervous,” Seratte said.

The senior responded by mowing down the final three batters in the seventh, much like she did for the rest of the game, effectively locating an inside fastball and her changeup.

“She was just hitting her spots,” LHS coach Reenie Stogsdill said.

Seratte’s pitching mastery helped the Lions (1-9) record their first victory of the year.

“It give us a lot of confidence,” senior Hannah Somers said. “It’s just exciting to get that first ‘W.'”

Somers, who went 3-for-4, keyed the Lions’ offensive explosion, which accounted for 11 hits.

After leading 3-0, LHS broke the game open during a four-run sixth inning. Katie Grom drew a walk, and Kacie Welbourn and Brittaney Krug hit back-to-back singles, with the second scoring Grom. Caitlin Bowlin hit a sacrifice fly to plate Welbourn. Kalli McClure and Somers drove in the last two runs of the inning with a single and double, respectively.

Seratte’s bid for back-to-back no-hitters ended abruptly against SM West.

The Vikings’ Sandy Tickles led off Game Two with a triple, and Nikki Bruce drove her home to take a 1-0 first inning lead.

The Lions tied the score during the the third inning. Krug reached on a walk, and Bowlin singled. Somers’ single scored Krug.

For the second game in a row, the Lions had a four-run inning. This time the rally occurred during the fifth and allowed LHS to push ahead, 5-4. Bowlin, McClure, Sam Hays, Lauren Kelly and Amanda Weishaar each singled. Somers tripled to score Bowlin and McClure.

“We had a great day at the ball park,” Stogsdill said. “We started hitting the ball a lot better than we had been.”

West, though, took the lead for good during the bottom of the fifth. Kelcee Schlotzhauer, who also hit a solo home run during the fourth, keyed the spurt with a two-run double.

LHS did not reach base during the last two innings, when Morgan Grafton came in for relief.

“We just kind of broke down,” Somers said.

The Lions will play host Thursday to Olathe North.

“I told the kids we’re on an uphill slide,” Stogsdill said. “Things are getting better, and we’re starting to play some good ball.”