Free State High’s baseball team had not been tested in any of its five victories to open the season, leaving coach Mike Hill to wonder how his squad would respond in a close game.

He got his answer at Thursday’s River City Festival opener.

Tied in the bottom of the seventh inning with Collinsville, Okla., the Firebirds loaded the bases, and junior Ryne Price roped a single into center field, driving in senior David Allen for a 3-2 victory at Hoglund Ballpark.

“What was important was, we’ve been in some big games that weren’t close,” Hill said. “We needed to be in this situation, win or lose, to see how we’d respond.”

The response came quickly after the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 2.

FSHS junior Tyler Blankenship was hit by a pitch, then Allen reached on a fielder’s choice.

Freshman Robbie Price singled, moving Allen to third, and senior Matt Berner laced a pitch into left field that looked like it would give Allen a chance to score.

But Hill held Allen at third, as Berner’s shot was hit too hard. It didn’t matter, though, because Ryne Price slammed the next pitch over the center fielder’s head, allowing Allen to score easily.

“It’s fun,” Ryne Price said. “You just kind of wait for the chance to do something like that. That’s why you play the game.”

Free State's Tyler Blankenship, back, tags out the Collinsville, Okla., Cardinals' Jason Scott as Scott slides into third base. The Firebirds won, 3-2, in the River City Festival Thursday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Hill, for his part, knew with Ryne Price coming up, FSHS would pull through.

“Nobody in a white uniform ever doubted he’d get the job done,” he said. “He’s a kid that’s got a lot of ability.”

That might go for the rest of the team, too.

The Firebirds (6-0) led most of the game, scoring two runs in the third when Berner smacked a double into the right-center gap, which brought in Allen and Robbie Price.

Berner, who finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs, also made a couple of nifty defensive plays at shortstop, which impressed Hill.

Neither team had an error.

“We threw the leather around a little bit tonight,” Hill said. “Matt Berner was great. Zach Puckett caught a ball in center field that was a great play. You just don’t see a lot of high school teams without any errors on the board.”

Free State High's David Allen, left, is congratulated by his teammates after scoring. The Firebirds beat Collinsville, Okla., 3-2, Thursday at Hoglund Ballpark.

Plus, senior Matt Lane shut down the Cardinal offense, allowing just five hits and no runs and striking out eight in six innings. He worked into the seventh, giving up three straight singles, then a double that brought in two runs, but Hill said that wasn’t entirely on Lane.

“Matt Lane pitched his tail off,” Hill said. “Frankly, I made a mistake on a call that got a run off us.”

Ryne Price relieved Lane and coaxed a ground ball out of Collinsville’s Josh Compton, which resulted in a double play. Two batters later, Jesse Bugg grounded out, and the Firebirds had won.

They’ll probably need to be on their game again when they play Grandview, Mo., at 6 tonight at Hoglund Ballpark.

Free State High 3, Collinsville, Okla., 2

Collinsville, Okla. 000 000 2 — 2 7 0

Free State 002 000 1 — 3 9 0

¢ 6Sports video: Free State wins, 3-2

W — Ryne Price (1-0); L — Matt Bishop.

2B — CH: Kyle Shults; Jason Scott; FSHS: David Allen. 3B– FSHS: Matt Berner.

FSHS Highlights: Matt Lane, 6 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 8 strikeouts; Berner 3-4, 2 RBI; Ryne Price 1-4, RBI; Robbie Price 2-4, 2 runs.