Lawrence High pitcher Megan Sumonja winds up for her release as LHS played host to Olathe East on Thursday, April 9, 2015.

Despite chilly temperatures and a lot of wind, Lawrence High softball players were happy to play a doubleheader on Thursday.

After watching their five-run lead turn into a 6-5 loss against Olathe East in the first game, the Lions were determined to fight back in the nightcap of their home opener.

In the second game, the Lions never stopped scoring in a 18-8 rout, shortened by run rule when senior third baseman Morgan Byrn smashed a home run over the left field wall in the sixth inning, her second homer of the day.

“So proud, that was awesome,” Byrn said. “After losing that the way we did, after a 5-0 lead, it was kind of hard to lose that way. But we came back so well and I’m so proud.”

The Hawks jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning of the second game before the Lions roared back with nine runs on eight hits. Junior Amber Flummerfelt, junior Sophie Taylor and senior Jolona Shield all hit run-scoring doubles. Senior Kenzie Garvin, junior Sami Mills, junior Brook Sumonja added RBI singles.

“I think sometimes it’s just confidence,” said Taylor, who went 6-for-9 on the day, scoring five runs. “Once someone hits a good one, it’s just a chain reaction and everyone gets up.”

The Lions (2-4) finished with 19 hits in the second game, scoring one run in the second inning when Annie Grammar hit a leadoff double, before coming around to score, and three in the third. On the mound, Shield struck out six on the mound and gave up just two earned runs.

How did the Lions respond so well after the first loss?

“We knew that we were the better team,” LHS coach Joe Dee Tarbutton said. “We just made sure that we weren’t going to let them capitalize on our little (mistakes). I don’t know, it was tough. But, I could just feel it in the air. Our chemistry is getting better as a team and that’s what is huge for us.”

In the first game, the Lions led 5-0 after two innings. Byrn hit a two-run homer and junior Audrina Hidalgo drove in Taylor with a RBI single in the first inning. Taylor hit a RBI triple in the second inning, scoring Byrn, before she scored on a groundout.

But the Lions left five runners on base, including three in scoring position over the final five frames. Meanwhile, the Hawks (5-2) made the most of their opportunities against LHS right-hander Megan Sumonja. They scored two runs on wild pitches, one on a sacrifice fly and another on a bases-loaded walk.

But instead of sulking about what went wrong, the Lions made sure they were the ones celebrating after the last game.

“Once one person got on, it was just like infectious,” Byrn said. “It just kept going and kept going. Those innings where we didn’t get anyone on, I mean it just kind of went downhill. But that one hit that just sets us off is amazing.”

Game 1

O-East 000 203 1 — 6 5 1

Lawrence 320 000 0 — 5 11 0

W — Hayley McGhee. L — Megan Sumonja (1-2).

2B — Hayley McGhee, Madi Augustyn, O-East. 3B — Kaylee Byers, O-East; Sophie Taylor, LHS. HR — Morgan Byrn, LHS.

LHS highlights — Byrn, 2-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Taylor, 2-for-4, 2 runs, RBI; Audrina Hidalgo, 3-for-4, RBI.

Game 2

O-East 230 300 — 8 6 2

Lawrence 913 131 — 18 19 3

W — Jolona Shield (1-2). L — Hayley McGhee.

2B — Hayley McGhee, Kaylee Byers (2), Madi Augustyn, O-East; Amber Flummerfelt, Sophie Taylor, Jolona Shield (2), Annie Grammer, LHS. 3B — Sophie Taylor, LHS. HR — Morgan Byrn, LHS.

LHS highlights — Kenzie Garvin, 3-for-5, 3 runs; Taylor, 4-for-5, 3 runs; Shield, 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 K, 3-for-4, 4 RBI; Flummerfelt, 3-for-4, 3 RBI; Brook Sumonja, 2-for-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI.