Lawrence High's Lauren Kelly, top, attempts to tag out Shawnee Mission North's Amber Parkinson as she slides into second base. LHS and SM North split a softball doubleheader on Wednesday at Holcom Complex.

Lawrence High's Sam Hays run in for a fly ball. Lawrence lost to Shawnee Mission North Wednesday afternoon.

On the night Lawrence High recognized seven seniors between games of a softball doubleheader against Shawnee Mission North, a pair of freshmen helped the Lions salvage a split.

After senior starting pitcher Sydney Serrate suffered a 10-3 loss in Game One, she and fellow senior Amanda Weishaar – who went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored – had to leave for a school event. In their place were freshmen Jamie Jarrette and Kacie Welborn, who helped LHS claim a 7-5 victory in Game Two.

Jarrette was the first freshman to make some noise by hitting a three-run double in the first inning to cap a five-run, two-out rally.

“That was big – especially from a freshman,” senior left fielder Hannah Somers said. “She only plays one out of the two games, but that was big for her. I was proud of her.”

Then Welborn, who was the starting pitcher, saw a seven-run lead begin to dwindle.

The first run she surrendered came in the fourth and was due to a hit batter and three consecutive walks, but Welborn retired the next two batters. In the sixth, she allowed a bases-loaded single, then again retired the next two batters.

“That was frustrating. I just wanted to get it over with,” Somers said. “I wanted to trust in everyone and believe that we could do it this time and get that second ‘W’ of the season.”

In the seventh, the defense began to falter – accounting for three errors – and after giving up two runs via a wild pitch and a throwing error, Welborn once more retired two consecutive batters to end the game.

“Sydney had to go to a choir concert or whatever, so Kacie had to finish,” coach Reenie Stogsdill said. “And I thought she stayed in there and hung tough and got the job done for us.”

If it weren’t for Somers and senior Katie Grom, the game would have been knotted at 5 after the late meltdown.

Somers, who went 2-for-4 with a double and run scored in the first game, led off the bottom of the second inning in Game Two with a solo home run.

“It was really surprising because we needed it,” Welborn said of Somers’ solo shot. “It got the team up, and I think that’s what made us win the game. We got together after it.”

Then, in the bottom of the third, Grom singled and came all the way around to score due to three wild pitches.

LHS was fortunate its scored the seven runs in the first three innings because SM North’s starting pitcher from Game One came in after Grom’s lead off single. No Lawrence batter would reach base from then on, with 12 consecutive batters being retired.

Senior center fielder Samantha Hays scored a run. LHS senior catcher Caitlin Bowlin had a hit, a walk and a run, while senior short stop Lauren Kelly walked and scored a run.