photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State infielders smile after closing out an inning in a 4-3 City Showdown win over Lawrence on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in Lawrence.

Free State entered the bottom of the seventh on Thursday with a one-run lead after the Firebirds allowed Lawrence to score three runs the prior inning.

Even then, with the game on the line, the Firebirds were confident. They trusted their pitcher, AJ Collins, to get the job done.

“I trust her to get us out of any situation,” left fielder Sarai Preston said. “She trusts us behind her. We’re a team.”

Collins struck out the final two batters, and Free State secured the 4-3 City Showdown win over Lawrence on the road.

“I feel good for the girls,” Free State coach Charley Bowen said. “Rival games are tough. Each team wants to win badly. It’s a game everyone has circled on the calendar. To come here and squeak out a win shows a lot for our girls.”

Free State started the game by getting two runners on base, one on a walk for second baseman Mallary Hice and the other on an error during Preston’s at-bat. Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris struck out the next two batters to hold the Firebirds scoreless.

The Firebirds quickly retired the side in the bottom of the first, with the exception of third baseman Violet Koehn getting to first on a walk.

Norris threw a third strikeout in the top of the second during a quick 1-2-3 inning. Catcher Addie Foley and left fielder Julia Norris each walked with one out in the bottom of the inning, and Keira Norris singled to load the bases. Once again, Collins finished the inning with two strikeouts to stave off a run.

Preston said the team knows it has to lock in defensively in moments when the offense isn’t going. Making sure to keep the opponent from making a play at the plate before the Firebirds do so is key.

The levy broke in the third inning as a slew of Free State hits resulted in a four-run inning. Catcher Rory Scarlett started the inning by wearing a pitch for a free base. Shortstop Sophia Halton doubled to bring in the first run, and after stealing third, she scored in the next at-bat when Hice grounded out.

“It’s always a big game,” Halton said. “So I’m just always waiting for (the hits) to start. Something is going to happen, and I don’t know who is going to start it. (In the third) I was like, ‘OK, thank goodness for that.'”

Preston doubled after the run and got to third base on an error. First baseman Jace Feurt walked after the Lions got the second out, and she managed to steal second, then run home on third baseman Avery Sack’s double. Lawrence shortstop Zoey Barber caught an infield pop fly to hold the Firebirds to four runs.

Collins said it helped seeing the rest of the team hit, both as a hitter herself and as a pitcher. It takes some pressure off her shoulders when she’s in the circle, and when she’s at the plate, it feels contagious when someone makes contact.

“There’s a certain confidence,” Collins said. “My teammates are doing it, I can too. It’s a team thing.”

Lawrence got center fielder Lucy Juelsgaard on base with a leadoff walk, but a flyout and double play in the next two at-bats kept the Lions from scoring.

The Lions settled back in on defense in the top of the fourth, and allowed only a walk by Halton. At the plate, the Lions got on the board with two runs. Designated hitter Kate Neilson reached first base on an error and advanced to second on Foley’s walk. Julia Norris then hit a sacrifice bunt to bring Neilson and Foley’s courtesy runner Lucy Godfrey to third and second, respectively. Keira Norris drove both in with a two-run double.

Free State closed the fourth with two outs, but the Lions gained some momentum. After an error to start the fifth inning, the Lions retired the side in order. Juelsgaard walked to start the bottom of the inning, but she was called out for leaving the base early on a flyout during the next at-bat. Another flyout ended the inning.

The Firebirds still couldn’t add to their lead in the sixth, and Lawrence cut into it at the plate. Foley singled with one out, and Julia Norris doubled to drive in the run. Keira Norris singled, but the Firebirds got the next two outs to enter the final frame.

“We made plays when we had the opportunity to take advantage of them,” Bowen said. “Pitching did the right pitches to get out of the inning, and the defense took advantage of it.”

Free State got a couple of runners on base with an error on Collins’ ground ball and a walk for Feurt. But a popout caught by Foley behind the plate put the Lions back at the plate needing a run to stay alive.

“(I was thinking) just don’t let them get a run,” Preston said. “Just lock in. Make the play you know you can make. Don’t shrink in the moment. That’s when you have to relax and support each other.”

It only took eight pitches from Collins for the Firebirds to win. Juelsgaard flied out in the first at-bat, and Collins struck the next two batters out to win the game.

“I tend to put myself under pressure, and that’s how I work better,” Collins said of finishing strong after the Lions scored three runs. “I don’t mean to do it, but it’s how it happens.”

Beating a rival is always a boost, and it makes it that much sweeter to do so on the road. The Firebirds said they can play more relaxed now, knowing that they accomplished one of the most important goals for the season.

“It’s a confidence booster, seeing we can go through tough games like this and come out on top,” Preston said. “We kept going, and that’s big.”