LHS softball wins 12-2

Good hitting. Good pitching. Strong defense.

It was just the way Lawrence High’s softball team drew it up on Tuesday against Shawnee Mission South. The Lions cruised to a 12-2 victory at LHS, shortened to six innings because of the 10-run rule.

The Lions (3-4) pounded 15 hits, including three apiece from senior Morgan Byrn, senior Jolona Shield and freshman Morgan Husman. Junior Sophie Taylor and junior Brook Sumonja added two hits each.

“Just to come out and more of our lineup hitting the ball with some consistency is huge,” LHS coach Joe Dee Tarbutton said. “That’s just frees us up for the big hitters when they come up and they can’t pitch around them.”

In the first inning, the first four LHS hitters reached base, highlighted by a two-run single from Shield.

Husman led off the second inning with a triple, scoring on an error, and Byrn hit a RBI double, giving the Lions an early 6-0 lead.

In the pitching circle, Shield allowed just five hits in six innings while striking out four. She puzzled opposing hitters with her screwball and rise ball.

“She looked really good,” said Husman, who earned her first varsity start from behind the plate after junior Audrina Hidalgo suffered an injury last game.

The Raiders (1-6) had their first three hitters reach base in the fourth inning, scoring one run before the LHS defense ended any potential rally. Taylor fielded a sharp ground ball at shortstop and tossed home where Husman applied the tag.

In the fifth inning with the bases loaded, senior Megan Sumonja made a diving catch at first base. Two batters later, Shield showed off her reflexes when she caught a screaming line drive and fired to first for a double play. Sophomore second baseman Annie Grammer added a diving catch in the sixth inning.

“It feels pretty good,” Shield said of the highlight reel plays on defense. “It builds up our confidence.”

The Lions will head to Shawnee Mission Northwest at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

SM South 000 110 — 2 5 4

Lawrence 421 212 — 12 15 2

W — Jolona Shield (2-2). L — Katlyn Schiefen.

2B — Sidney Holler, SM South; Morgan Byrn, Jolona Shield (2), Morgan Husman, LHS. 3B — Sophie Taylor, Morgan Husman, LHS.

LHS highlights — Shield, 3-for-4, 3 RBI, 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 Ks; Taylor, 2-for-4, 3 runs, RBI; Byrn, 3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Husman, 3-for-3, run; Brook Sumonja, 2-for-2, RBI.