photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior third baseman Maddy Crawford watches home plate while rounding third base in a 7-2 win over St. James Academy at Lawrence on Thursday, March 27, 2025.

The Lawrence High softball team started its season with a 7-2 win against St. James Academy in Lawrence on Thursday.

The Thunder took an early lead with a run on two doubles in the bottom of the first. A popout to second baseman Zoey Barber put the Lions at the plate, where Barber drove in the team’s first run with a double after leadoff hitter Harper Dye tripled. Lili Spinelli gave the Lions a 2-1 lead with an RBI double later in the inning.

Lawrence’s defense retired the side at the top of the second inning, while the offense quickly extended the lead back at the plate. Reese Dannevik started with a double and Dye later hit a single to put two runners on base. Barber hit her first home run with the Lions to take a 5-2 lead, and Julia Norris’ RBI single later in the inning made it a 6-2 game.

Neither team scored in the third, with the Thunder getting the only hit of the inning. The Thunder scored its second run in the fourth, but the Lions got the third out in the next at-bat. Both teams failed to score in the fourth, although Barber got her third hit.

It was a big day for Barber, a freshman. She had three hits on three at-bats, four RBIs and a walk. Coach Mike Byrn was pleased with her batting but wants to see her continue to develop defensively as she transitions from playing primarily shortstop to second baseman.

“I think sometimes we can overcoach hitting — at game time, let them see it and let them hit it,” Byrn said. “She did a great job of that. She’s got really fast hands, and that’s going to benefit her.”

The Thunder started with a single in the top of the fifth, but third baseman Maddy Crawford converted a double play and caught the third out on the next at-bat. On offense, the Lions’ bats were still cold and didn’t put anyone on base.

Byrn said the team struggled to adjust to the Thunder’s pitching adjustments, which led to the scoring drought.

“It was a good start — we got out and swung the bats early,” Byrn said. “If you get a pitch inside and you hit on it and barrel it up, you’re probably not going to see that pitch again. You’re probably going to get more (pitches) away and a show pitch (inside). You can’t keep swinging a ball you hope to be (inside) when they’re pitching you away.”

Byrn said the top three batters on the lineup made the adjustment, but more batters will need to adjust in the future.

Pitcher Keira Norris struck out two more batters in the top of the sixth inning, giving her five on the day. She finished the game with two runs allowed on five hits against six total strikeouts in seven innings.

The top of the lineup for Lawrence scored the final run in the sixth inning. Dye doubled with one out, and Barber walked after her. Crawford hit a single which brought Dye home and Barber to third, but two outs back-to-back prevented Barber from scoring another run.

With a five-run lead, the Lions retired the side in the seventh inning to win the game 7-2 and start the season 1-0.

Lawrence will play at Manhattan on Friday for a double header. The team will be on the road again for a Gardner Edgerton doubleheader on Tuesday before a home game on Thursday against Shawnee Mission East.