photo by: Nick Krug

Free State players high five Mayah Daniels (17) after Daniels scored on a passed ball by Lawrence High during the third inning on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at Free State High School.

Facing her team’s crosstown rivals for the second time in two days, Free State High senior pitcher Elizabeth Patton figured Lawrence’s hitters would step into the batter’s box Wednesday at FSHS eager to avenge a 13-run beating.

Patton predicted correctly, but even though the Lions pounced early to put the Firebirds in a two-run hole to start the game, neither the veteran right-handed pitcher nor her teammates blinked, and Free State won another City Showdown, 6-2.

“We had to deal with our own emotions,” Patton said after FSHS closed the regular season with a Senior Day victory, “and then deal with the fact they were coming back from a loss.”

Firebirds coach Lee Ice described it as a tough, emotional day for players and coaches. It began with rival Lawrence (9-11) taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Ice left the field proud of how his players responded.

“Yeah, we gave up two runs early,” Ice said, “but we didn’t panic, and we scored the five (in the bottom of the third). It was a matter of, our crooked number was a little bit bigger than theirs.”

An unforeseen strategy implemented by LHS coach Joe Dee Tarbutton played a role in Free State’s game-changing inning. Sophomore Lions pitcher Zoe Brewer, who kept the Firebirds (11-9) scoreless in the first two frames, hit FSHS junior Dacia Starr with one out in the bottom of the third. At that point, Tarbutton removed his starting pitcher from the circle and inserted senior Amber Flummerfelt, whose first-inning struggles the previous day at LHS set up a 13-run inning for the Firebirds.

Once again, FSHS found success. Senior Kate Stanwix walked, senior Emily Byers delivered an RBI single, senior Cali Byrn drew another base on balls and junior Mayah Danels smacked an RBI single up the middle to tie the game.

Oddly enough, at that point Tarbutton brought Brewer back in to pitch. The sophomore, who had just left the circle up 2-0 with a runner on first and one out, returned to a tie game with the bases loaded and one out.

According to Tarbutton, he planned the switch and return for Brewer “no matter what” as a way to throw a different look at the heart of Free State’s order.

“It just … It didn’t work,” the coach said of the scheme.

Upon Brewer’s return, FSHS kept the rally going after the LHS sophomore struck out Patton for out No. 2. Senior Peyton Brown ducked into a hit by pitch, plating the go-ahead run. Then senior Hailey Jump came through with an RBI single to left field, and a throwing error allowed another run to score, giving Free State a 5-2 advantage.

“I feel that I messed it up,” Tarbutton said of putting Brewer and the Lions in such a difficult spot. “As I told them, I’m a coach, too, and I’m definitely not mistake-free.”

Patton said the Firebirds only needed a spark.

“It is typical for us to just take off once we get in a groove,” the pitcher said, “so that’s really nice to know we can do that.”

Byers said Patton responded well after FSHS fell behind early.

“I think she knew the defense was really solid today, and she knew we were backing her up, and nothing else was gonna happen,” the senior third baseman said after Patton struck out six, scattered nine hits and walked three in a complete-game victory.

The Firebirds would have enjoyed an even comfier win had Lawrence’s defense not robbed FSHS of some hits. Outfielders Rhiannon Emerson and Samantha Mills made sure the ball didn’t find the turf and senior shortstop Sophie Taylor snagged a couple of line drives.

Mills, a senior who drove in both LHS runs with a first-inning single, said those defensive gems gave the Lions some confidence.

“There’s definitely a lot of positives we can take from the game,” Mills said. “It’s a good learning experience. Even though we didn’t win we still played good and played a lot better than we did last game.”

Lawrence 200 000 0 — 2 9 2

Free State 005 001 X — 6 9 0

W — Elizabeth Patton, 10-4. L — Amber Flummerfelt.

2B — Sophie Taylor, Kampbell Kilburn, Zoe Brewer, LHS; Kate Stanwix, FSHS.

LHS highlights — Sophie Taylor, 2-for-4, R; Audrina Hidalgo, 2-for-4; Kampbell Kilburn, 1-for-3, R; Samantha Mills, 1-for-4, 2 RBIs; Zoe Brewer, 62?3 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, K, 3 BB, 2 HBP.

FSHS highlights — Hailey Jump, 2-for-4, RBI; Dacia Starr, 2-for-3, 2 R; Kate Stanwix, 2-for-2, R; Mayah Daniels, 2-for-3, RBI; Emily Byers, 1-for-3, RBI, R; Elizabeth Patton, 7 IP, 9 H, 6 K, 3 BB.