photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Lillian Spinelli calls for time while stepping into the box to face the Free State pitcher on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Free State High School in Lawrence.

Down six runs to Olathe Northwest, Harper Dye led off the bottom of the fifth inning for Lawrence and hit a home run on the third pitch.

After that, the Lions rattled off four more runs and had four hits in the inning after accounting for only five hits and two runs in the first four innings. The Lions came within a run of tying the Ravens but ultimately fell short to the defending 6A state champions. Still, the rally was an example of what the team can be and continues to strive for — a team on which everyone can hit.

Once one person gets a hit, it gives the rest of the lineup confidence and can rattle a pitcher. The Lions came into the year expecting to be able to hit the ball well, but the level of success they’ve had has been somewhat of a surprise.

“We thought there would be some ups and downs with some of the younger players,” Lawrence coach Mike Byrn said. “I expected Harper, Maddy (Crawford), Lydia (Folks) to swing it well. To have Zoey Barber swing it like she has, to have Kate Neilson swing it like she has… it’s been a little surprising.”

It all starts with the leadoff hitter. For the Lions, that’s Dye. When she gets on base, Byrn said it takes the pressure off the rest of the lineup and allows them to relax.

“Harper really sets the tone, and with Maddy and Lydia in the three and four (spots), we’ve been really blessed,” Byrn said.

Dye’s one hit against the Ravens sparked the five-running inning in the fifth. The day before, in a 15-0 win over Shawnee Mission Northwest, Dye singled on the first pitch of the bottom of the first and sparked an 11-run inning.

“Hitting is contagious,” Dye said. “Everything you do is contagious. If you’re making good plays, it helps, and vice versa if you’re making bad plays. Everybody now has more confidence in themselves.”

The Lions have a few seniors who have carried heavy loads at the plate. After Dye in the leadoff spot. Crawford and Folks have at least one hit in each of the last four games, and they’re leading the team in RBIs. As Byrn said, what they have done to start the season has been expected.

Barber is one of a few freshmen who immediately stepped into starting roles for the Lions. She is among the team’s best hitters and second in the lineup. Alongside Barber, the team has gotten good at-bats from freshmen Lucy Juelsgaard — who had two hits against Olathe Northwest — and Kate Neilson.

Other underclassmen have provided hits later in the lineup. Sophomore Julia Norris had two hits in three at-bats against Olathe Northwest. Against some of the best competition, the Lions have found success throughout the team.

“Not a lot of teams have a good bottom of the lineup, and I’m just proud of the underclassmen and younger players for stepping up,” Dye said. “It’s not easy being an underclassmen and facing good teams like this.

“They all carry themselves really well,” Dye said. “They have good confidence in themselves, and that’s just something that is hard to do. They’re way ahead of where I was my freshman year, and that’s positive to see for upcoming years.”

The upperclassmen and underclassmen help each other. The upperclassmen set the tone, while the underclassmen keep the momentum going. Barber said being behind Dye and watching her effort makes Barber want to work harder. Norris said the seniors’ leadership helps bring some of that confidence that the underclassmen are able to take to the plate.

Even with the Lions’ success, the team still believes there’s more out there to improve. The Lions made four errors on defense against the Ravens, which helped their foes build a large lead that was difficult to overcome, even with a five-run inning. Mitigating those mistakes on defense can help the offense have even more confidence and success.

“Offense and defense lead to each other, so I think if we work on our defense, our offense will automatically get better,” Barber said.

Lawrence, with an 8-3 record, is close to hitting last season’s win total of nine with a month of games still on the schedule. Byrn said he wanted his team to compete with the top schools in the state, and so far, the hitting throughout the lineup has proved capable.

“Our seniors have been great in the environment they create for growth,” Byrn said. “It’s been a real fun year.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence shortstop Harper Dye hits a ground ball in a 13-0 loss to Olathe West on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Lawrence.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Maddy Crawford (1) is welcomed to home plate by teammates after rounding the bases against Free State on Thursday, April 10, 2025, during the City Showdown softball game at Free State High School in Lawrence.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence freshman Zoey Barber prepares to swing at a Free State pitch on Thursday, April 10, 2025, during the City Showdown softball game at Free State High School in Lawrence.