If, in the words of Free State High baseball coach Mike Hill, the Firebirds haven’t played to their potential yet, then the skipper has to believe the possibilities are endless for his squad.

Free State swung the bats really well again Tuesday, rapping 15 hits. Add Max Ellenbecker’s pitching and solid team defense, and the Firebirds easily secured a 12-2, run-rule-shortened, five-inning victory over Shawnee Mission North at FSHS.

“We were very impressive offensively today, very aggressive and yet disciplined,” said Hill, whose 6-2 squad has scored seven or more runs in seven games this season. “When you can get those two things together, good things are going to happen, and they certainly did today.”

Free State followed a scoreless first inning by batting around for a six-run outburst in the second.

With one out, Jake Hoover started things with a double. Four consecutive singles gave the Firebirds a 4-1 advantage. A double to left by Robby Price, who was 3-for-3, and a triple to right-center by fellow sophomore Brett Lisher pushed Free State’s lead to 6-1.

“We’re not being so passive at the plate. Today we just came out and swung the bats,” said Lisher, who was 3-for-4 with four RBIs. “If we do that every time, we should be all right, but we have to have defense behind it.”

Free State had both Tuesday.

Senior Tyler Blankenship, who had the Firebirds’ only error on a bouncer to third in the second inning, more than made up for his miscue.

Blankenship recorded four putouts the rest of the way, including a couple of slow rollers which he had to charge and an incredible diving stop.

Free State High second baseman Robby Price, left, turns a double play against Shawnee Mission North. Price was 3-for-3 at the plate, scored a pair of runs and had two RBIs in the Firebirds' 12-2, run-rule-shortened, five-inning victory Tuesday at FSHS.

The Firebirds had four more scores off five hits in the third inning, including a ground-rule double.

Sophomore pitcher Max Ellenbecker wasn’t overwhelming but effective — striking out five, while giving up no walks and allowing five hits.

Lisher drove in the final pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth for the early conclusion.

“I believe we’re beginning to jell, and we’re developing some cohesion,” Hill said. “This is a group of kids who, up until this spring, hadn’t really played too much together. Last year we had a wonderful group that had played together for a lot of years. There’s a sense of team when that happens.

“We kind of felt like it would take some time for us to get that, and still we’re not there. We’ve got a ways to go, but we’re definitely heading in that direction.”