A few bad innings have cost Lawrence High’s softball team in games this season, and Tuesday was no different.

The Lions gave up two three-run innings in a 6-0 loss to Olathe North at LHS. The two schools played one inning of the second game in their doubleheader before it was postponed because of rain. The second game is expected to be rescheduled for a later date.

What started as a pitchers’ duel quickly turned into a rout when the Eagles broke through for three runs in the fifth and sixth innings. A few LHS mistakes added to the big innings, which has been an all-too-familiar theme this year.

“That’s kind of been our thing,” LHS coach Joe Dee Tarbutton said. “We come out with our bats on fire, our defense seems to follow. We made a few mental mistakes with communication and everything, and that’s what we’ve got to stop doing.”

In the fifth inning, O-North junior Alexa Sidoti hit an infield single with one out and freshman Hannah Schmidt drew a walk. The Eagles made LHS senior right-hander Megan Sumonja pay with RBI singles from the middle of their order, sophomore Kayla Peak and senior Maddie McCracken, for a 3-0 lead.

The Eagles wouldn’t need any more help for their starter, junior right-hander Halle Brin, who painted the corners of the plate with her pitches and forced a lot of ground balls.

“Their pitcher, she’s the best in the league, by far,” Tarbutton said.

The Eagles took advantage of a few LHS errors and mental mistakes for three runs in the sixth inning. The frustrations hit a peak when Tarbutton scolded his team in a visit to the mound for failing to back up third base on a bunt and throwing a breaking ball on a 2-2 pitch, which resulted in a stolen base.

“It didn’t hurt us, but that’s what we just talked about in practice yesterday,” Tarbutton said. “Then five minutes ago, I talked to them about not throwing an offspeed on 2-2. It’s just a little bit of everything going on, but they know I’ve still got the greatest of confidence in them.”

The Lions (8-7) had their best opportunity to score in the first inning after senior Kenzie Garvin hit a leadoff single and Jolona Shield added a two-out single. But with runners on the corners, Brin escaped the jam by inducing a groundout.

Brin kept the Lions hitless for the next four innings — without a ball leaving the infield — before Garvin hit a single into right field in the sixth inning. LHS hit seven ground balls back to Brin, and every time she was in the right position to make the play.

“She moved the ball around a little bit, hit her spots and just gloved the ball,” Tarbutton said. “I mean, if it was anywhere around the circle, it was in her glove and then to first base.”

The Lions will play host to Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee Mission West on Thursday, starting at 4:15 p.m.

O-North 000 033 0 — 6 7 0

Lawrence 000 000 0 — 0 4 4

W — Hallie Brin. L — Megan Sumonja, 4-4.

2B — Annie Grammer, LHS.

LHS highlights — Kenzie Garvin, 2-for-3.