Free State softball cruises past SM East

For the second straight day, Free State High’s softball team was dominant at the plate. Only this time, the Firebirds didn’t have to stop because of bad weather.

The Firebirds drilled 14 hits in a 13-0 run-rule shortened rout over Shawnee Mission East on Friday at FSHS.

Free State opened with four straight singles in the bottom of the first inning, including a two-run hit from junior Emily Byers. Junior Cali Byrn and sophomore Mayah Daniels added RBI doubles in the six-run outburst.

“I feel like we did really good today,” said Daniels, who went 3-for-3 with three doubles and two RBIs. “We all hit it pretty square, we did our jobs and that always works out well.”

Free State (8-6) continued to pour on the hits in the second inning with a two-out, six-run rally. Byrn and Daniels hit doubles, junior Haley Jump hit an RBI single, senior Kylie Cobb slashed a two-run double and Byers hit an RBI single.

“That middle of our lineup has got some pop in it,” FSHS coach Lee Ice said. “If we get runners on ahead of them, I’m trying to get them to understand what their job is: to drive them in. It’s not to slow down their at-bat or get them over, sometimes it’s a see-how-far-you-can-hit-it type of thing. When you get into hitter’s counts, 2-0 or 3-1, cut it loose.”

The Firebirds, who recorded 14 runs and just one out before rain suspended their game against Shawnee Mission West on Thursday, were happy to face a faster-throwing pitcher on Friday.

“That pitcher was a little bit more on time with our bats or, I guess, vice-versa,” Ice said. “That’s what we need to do in games like that … don’t worry about whether or not they are base hits. Just square it up and hit it hard, and good things happen.”

Free State emptied its bench for the final few innings. Junior Madison Norris hit a single in the fourth inning.

But the starters also proved themselves in different roles. After two bunt singles in the first inning, Cobb laced a two-run double down the left-field line in the second inning.

“It’s really nice to get an opportunity to go ahead and stand up and swing, and it feels really good to just be able to square up the ball like that,” Cobb said. “It’ll definitely pick us up and give us a confidence boost. Hopefully we’ll be ready to go the rest of the week. We’ve got a lot of games next week.”

Meanwhile, Free State junior pitcher Elizabeth Patton was solid, allowing just four hits in five innings while striking out five. She gave up three straight singles in the fourth inning, but escaped the jam by getting a pop fly in the infield and making a smart play on a swinging bunt to flip the ball to home for the force out.

“Confidence definitely went up from this game, and that’s always good,” Daniels said. “That should help a lot.”

The Firebirds will play host to St. Thomas Aquinas for a doubleheader starting at 3:30 p.m. today.

SM East 000 00 — 0 4 4

Free State 661 0x — 13 14 0

W — Elizabeth Patton. L — Rebecca Bales.

2B — Cali Byrn (2), Mayah Daniels (3), Kylie Cobb, FS.

FSHS highlights — Cobb, 3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Emily Byers, 2-for-4, run, 3 RBI; Byrn, 2-for-2, 2 runs, RBI; Daniels, 3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI.