photo by: Mike Yoder

The Lawrence Lions' bench celebrates a run in a game against the Free State Firebirds Tuesday at LHS. From left are Chandler Duffey, Zoe Brewer and Morgan Husman. LHS outscored Free State, 12-9.

Lawrence High junior Abby Monroe found herself in a two-strike hole to Free State pitcher Morgan Leslie in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s City Showdown at LHS.

But all she kept telling herself to do was to put the bat on the ball.

“Just make contact,” Monroe said of her thoughts during the at-bat. “It’s two strikes.”

On the next pitch, Monroe smacked a double to the outfield and drove in what proved to be the game-winning run in the Lions’ 12-9 win over the Firebirds.

Sammy Williams, who reached on a single before Monroe’s double, scored the run and gave LHS a one-run advantage.

The Lions tacked on two more runs in the inning with RBI groundouts from freshman Sydney Delfelder and senior Zoe Brewer.

The three-run sixth for the Lions was one of many standout offensive innings for LHS. The Lions scored multiple runs in four innings and logged 17 hits as a team on the night.

The Lions were spearheaded by Kampbell Kilburn, who recorded three hits, and Monroe and Morgan Husman, who each produced two hits.

“I thought they did really well,” said LHS coach Nicole Riley of her lineup. “They were excited, and they showed up to play tonight, and good things happened.”

LHS found itself in an early deficit after Free State plated a run on Lauryn Jones’ sac fly to the center fielder Kilburn in the first.

But the Lions (9-8) answered back quickly with a four-run first inning, which was highlighted by Husman’s three-run triple to the center field wall.

“That’s a huge thing to do to come back in that inning,” Riley said. “To put four up and go out on defense the next inning and just be a little more comfortable.”

Brewer, who pitched a complete game in the circle for the Lions, appeared to find a groove in the second. After allowing a leadoff single, Brewer struck out the side, which got her team energized as they headed back to the dugout.

LHS eventually led by as many as six, but Free State held its own offensively, producing 10 hits.

The Firebirds’ loudest hit came in the fifth, when junior Emma Stanwix blasted a three-run homer off the left field foul pole. Stanwix’s home run helped cut the LHS lead to one.

Free State coach Lee Ice said he was pleased with the effort his team showed in getting back into the game.

“We took advantage; got some key base hits, got the three-run homer by Stanwix that kept us in the game,” said Free State coach Lee Ice. “That’s the kind of way we’ve been playing the last 10 games.”

The Firebirds (10-5) ultimately stormed back and tied the game at 9-9 in the sixth on an RBI groundout from Sara Roszak.

“I’m glad with the effort,” Ice said. “I mean, we were down 7-1, and we just kept fighting back, fighting back. At least, we got it tied.”

However, Monroe’s double in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference, and Riley said the Lions’ persistence at the plate played a major factor in securing a win.

“Just keeping with it,” Riley said. “Seven innings seems long sometimes, and you’ve just got to go and shut them down. And you have to keep the momentum, you can’t let them take it.”

Free State tried to disrupt LHS’ momentum one last time in the seventh, but came up short.

The Firebirds had a runner on first with one out, but Taylor Burks hit a double-play ball to the second baseman Delfelder, who caught the lineout and then turned to her left to throw out the runner at first.

“That was really exciting,” Monroe said. “It’s just good to come out with a win.”

Free State 103 041 0 — 9 10 0

Lawrence 430 203 x — 12 17 1

2B–Roszak, FS; Tatum Clopton, FS; Jones, FS; Kilburn, LHS; Karly Johnson, LHS; Monroe, LHS. 3B–Husman, LHS. HR–Stanwix, FS.

Free State highlights–Clopton, 2 for 3, two runs, walk, RBI; Jones, 3 for 3, two runs, RBI; Stanwix, 2 for 4, 4 RBI.

Lawrence highlights–Brewer, 7 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 2 BB, 5 K; Kilburn, 3 for 4, two runs, walks, 2 RBI; Monroe, 2 for 3, two runs, walk, 2 RBI; Husman, 2 for 4, run, 3 RBI.