The city’s two high school softball squads are starting a new season today, and both are driven by stinging losses in regional competition last year that kept them from a trip to the Class 6A state tournament.

“We were an extra-inning home run away from state. Yes, there definitely is a bad taste left in our mouths,” said Lawrence High coach Reenie Stogsdill, whose Lions open today at Shawnee Mission South.

Stogsdill said her LHS squad — which returns all but two players from last year’s 11-11 team, which lost, 3-2, to Emporia on a walk-off home run in the eighth inning of the regional championship — should have a good shot at getting to state this season.

“I look for this team to be very comparative to last year’s,” she said. “They should be in every game, and then when regionals come around, and if we can play like we’re capable of, then we can get to where we want to go.”

Free State, which plays host to defending state champion Olathe East today at FSHS, returns everyone from last season’s 10-11 team that fell, 4-1, to Topeka High in its regional opener.

“The girls definitely got a taste of it last year, but unfortunately the outcome left a bad taste in their mouths,” said Firebird coach Pam Pine, whose team committed four costly errors in the loss.

“But this is the best bunch of girls I’ve ever had. I think we’ll be very competitive, and we should have more confidence than a year ago.”

Neither coach says her squad has big-time stars, but each said her team was loaded with a collection of talented ball players.

Although the Lions have experienced leadership behind the bats of seven seniors, junior shortstop Drew Huff could be Lawrence High’s leader.

Lawrence High's Whitney Juneau, left, and Free State's Ashley Wagner are eager to start their softball seasons. Today, LHS will travel to Shawnee Mission South; FSHS plays host to Olathe East.

“She’s definitely one of the best athletes to go through this school,” Stogsdill said.

Senior pitcher Whitney Juneau will be another key for the Lions with her leadership on the mound.

Stogsdill will have to do a bit of shuffling to beef up her infield after losing Huff’s sister, Danielle, to graduation. Senior Shannon Worley, who has started three seasons in the outfield, will make the switch to third base.

The Firebirds are led by a talented trio of seniors in Chloe Hall, Jamie Stanclift and Ashley Wagner.

“They’re basically the ones who have started the tradition for us,” Pine said of her three seniors, who started their careers with a 3-17 campaign, but have helped the Firebirds to 7-13 and 10-11 seasons.

Beyond those three upperclassmen, Pine expects contributions from a crop of sophomores.

Twin sisters Livi and Brooke Abney should secure the right side of the infield at second and first. Sophomore Allie Hock started at catcher as a freshman last season. Two more sophomores — Aleese Kops, in center, and Hannah Sommers, either at catcher or in the outfield — also could start.