photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris runs home in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

OLATHE — After an explosive offensive day on Monday, Lawrence softball’s bats fell silent in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday.

It was a disappointing game for the Lions, who beat Shawnee Mission Northwest 15-0 the day before when the Lions put together 11 hits. Against the Ravens, the Lions managed six hits.

“We took a huge step back today,” Lawrence coach Michael Byrn said. “We had continued to make progress everyday, but we weren’t competitive at the plate, we weren’t competitive at the field. That was not good softball.”

The Ravens retired the Lions in six pitches at the top of the first on three flyouts. Byrn said that “set the tone” for the game as the Lions didn’t hit the ball in the inning.

At the plate, the Ravens got on the board when back-to-back hits brought home a run each with one out. Pitcher Julia Norris managed to complete the double play to close the inning.

Norris started in the circle and threw four innings with seven hits and two earned runs allowed while dealing with some sickness. Keira Norris pitched the final two innings and allowed four hits but no earned runs.

“I thought pitching was good,” Byrn said. “They made mistakes but nothing that cost us. If you score one run, you aren’t winning… it should’ve been a 4-1 game.”

A flyout followed by two strikeouts prevented the Lions from getting on base in the second inning, but the Lions managed to strand two runners in the inning. Right fielder Maison Rector was the first Lion to get on base with a walk in the top of the third, but a flyout in the next at-bat closed the half inning.

The Ravens added another run in the bottom of the third after two singles put runners in scoring position and an error brought one home. Another double play left runners at third and second and ended the frame.

A bright spot for the Lawrence defense was shortstop Zarah Molina, who filled in for regular starter Zoey Barber after Barber was sidelined with an illness. Molina’s emergence allows the Lions to move pieces around in the infield.

“She’s going to come up for us and play,” Byrn said. “It forces others to get better, because she’s going to play. We have to get outs for our pitchers, because we’re killing them.”

Lawrence first baseman Brae Jones got the first single for the team in the top of the fourth after two strikeouts to start the inning. Jones was left on first after lineout got the Ravens the third out.

Norris threw a strikeout in the bottom of the fourth as the Lions retired the side in order. Keira Norris singled in the top of the fifth and was followed by a single from Rector and Julia Norris, the latter of which brought Keira Norris home for a score. Center fielder Lucy Juelsgaard barrelled a pitch deep to center field in the next at-bat, but an athletic play on the fly ball brought the final out.

Olathe Northwest extended their lead with three runs in the fifth. Lawrence managed a single from catcher Addie Foley in the top of the sixth but couldn’t get anyone else on base. Another error and a single in the bottom of the sixth gave the Ravens their seventh run, and Keira Norris’s single in the top of the seventh was the only hit in the inning as the Ravens got the outs to end the game.

“It’s irrelevant that we lost, it’s that we didn’t compete,” Byrn said. “Our job (as coaches) is to help them compete, and I don’t know if we did that tonight.”

Byrn said the team will take tomorrow off to regroup before practicing hard on Thursday and Friday ahead of Saturday’s games against Junction City, St. James Academy and Blue Valley.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris starts to run in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris hits the ball in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence shortstop Zarah Molina makes contact in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence left fielder Kate Neilson runs to first in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Julia Norris throws in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence second baseman Harper Hess watches home plate in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence right fielder Maison Rector smiles after a hit in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence first baseman Brae Jones makes contact at the plate in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence catcher Addie Foley runs to first in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence center fielder Lucy Juelsgaard throws home in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Keira Norris starts to throw in a 7-1 loss to Olathe Northwest on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, in Olathe.