Lawrence High senior pitcher Megan Sumonja delivers a pitch during the Lions' game against Free State Wednesday at LHS.

Two days removed from a 13-3 setback to Free State, Lawrence High’s softball team wanted to makes amends Wednesday by earning a victory over the Firebirds on its Senior Night at LHS.

The Lions did just that.

They pounced on the Firebirds early, scoring five runs in the first, en route to an 8-3 victory.

“I told the girls that ever since that game ended the other night that I couldn’t wait to get back on the field, because I knew we were going to win,” LHS coach Joe Dee Tarbutton said. “I had that feeling coming into the game because these girls are resilient, and they wanted it.”

LHS batted around in the first and scored all five of its runs with two outs, as Annie Grammer, Morgan Husman and Sami Mills each drove in runs. The Lions also benefited from an FSHS defensive miscue that led to two runs. Junior Brook Sumonja reached safely on a bunt single, but the Firebirds compounded the issue by allowing two runs to score when no one covered first base.

While Brook Sumonja was one of the offensive catalysts for the Lions in their 11-hit attack, her older sister Megan was stifling the Firebirds from the circle. Megan shut out the Firebirds over the first five frames on her way to a complete-game three-hitter and struck out nine with just four walks.

The LHS pitcher said pitching with a big lead early helped give her confidence.

“It’s a lot easier because there is less stress,” Megan said. “There’s not as much pressure.”

The Firebirds were able to get to the Lions’ senior hurler for a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, but LHS nullified the late charge with three in the home half of the sixth to preserve the victory.

“That’s a very good team over there,” FSHS coach Lee Ice said of the cross-town Lions. “They swung the bat extremely well, they pitched extremely well, and they played defense. They had all three areas of the game.”

Two of the three hits for the Firebirds did go for extra bases. Emily Byers ripped a double to left-center in the fourth, and Haley Jump hit an RBI triple in the seventh.

Ice said that a big difference in the game was each team’s approach at the plate. The Lions were aggressive early in the count, while his Firebirds fell behind against Sumonja.

“She was getting first-pitch strikes,” Ice said of Sumonja. “Our first-pitch strikes, they were jumping on. Sophie Taylor, Morgan Byrn … all of them … our first-pitch strikes they were hitting.”

Taylor paced LHS with three hits. She was a home run short of the cycle.

The Lions and Firebirds will take the field again today to complete their regular seasons. FSHS will hit the road to finish a suspended scoreless game against Olathe East, while Lawrence High will host Olathe North at 4 p.m.

Free State 000 001 2 — 3 3 0

Lawrence 500 003 0 — 8 11 1

W — Megan Sumonja. L — Elizabeth Patton.

2B — Sophie Taylor, Morgan Husman, Jolona Shield, LHS; Emily Byers, FSHS.

3B — Taylor, LHS, Haley Jump, FSHS.

LHS highlights — Megan Sumonja 7.0 IP, 3R, 3H, 9K, 4BB; Sophie Taylor, 3-for-4, RBI single, double, triple, run; Jolona Shield 1-for-3, 2B, BB, run; Morgan Byrn 1-for-3, two-RBI single, run, BB; Morgan Husman 1-for-3, RBI double, run; Brook Sumonja 2-for-3, run.

FSHS highlights — Emily Byers 1-for-2, double, BB; Haley Jump 1-for-3, RBI triple; Kate Stanwix 1-for-3, RBI single.