Overland Park ? After winning 11 straight games, Free State High’s baseball squad had to lose eventually.

Saturday, Blue Valley North had the answer for the Firebirds in an 11-5 victory. Travis Blankenship went 3-for-3 with a double, but the offensive highlights were scant.

“It was pretty ugly. We did not play well,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said. “We’ve been living on borrowed time with some substandard play, just getting by, and it caught up with us today in a big way.

“We struck out 15 times, and you’re not going to beat anybody striking out that many times. We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we had today.”

The Firebirds (15-3) have a chance for redemption Tuesday at Shawnee Mission East. Free State could clinch the Sunflower League championship with a victory.

“It’s a huge opportunity for us, getting a chance to go on the road and win the Sunflower League title,” Hill said. “I hope our kids respond. We’ve been a little listless, and maybe something like this will get us back to the level of play we’ve been accustomed to.”