It’s a simple and somewhat painful fact for opposing baseball teams: If they want to beat Free State High in the state tournament today and Saturday, they’ll have to try to get batters out.

To do that, they’ll have to serve up some strikes to some really, really good FSHS hitters.

That’s the problem most of the teams that have run into Free State have faced this season. The Firebirds are looking more like the Big Green Machine this year. The top of the batting order can hit, the bottom of the batting order can hit and the middle of the batting order quite simply can mash the ball.

Free State (19-3) and Blue Valley West (18-4) will clash in the first game of the Class 6A state baseball tournament today at Hoglund Ballpark. The first pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.

The Jaguars have good pitching. The ace of the staff is left-hander Nick Czyz (pronounced “chez”), the little brother of Kansas University pitcher Don Czyz. Nick, who likely will start today, is a first-team all-state selection and a hard-throwing left-hander who has had his way with most of his opponents this season.

Of course, most of Czyz’s starts haven’t come against a lineup as dangerous as Free State’s.

“You just have to scratch, claw and fight and see what you can accomplish against them,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said. “We’re a good offensive team, and we’re not going to deviate what we’ve done all year long to get us where we are. We’re going to continue with what’s brought us here.”

That, of course, is a .370 team batting average and a 10.1 runs-per-game output. Led by senior Ryne Price (.509 average, eight homers, 32 RBIs) and a ton of bats

surrounding him, the Firebirds have no holes in the lineup. How loaded is it? The leadoff hitter, senior Tyler Blankenship, has seven home runs. The regular nine-hole hitter, senior Paul Metzler, is hitting .369.

Free State High celebrates its baseball regional championship. By winning twice last week, the Firebirds advanced to this weekend's state tournament.

The pitching, though overshadowed, certainly has pulled its own weight this year. Juniors Max Ellenbecker and Jake Hoover are unbeaten with earned-run averages of less than 4.00. Price has a 1.31 ERA as a spot starter.

Free State’s third starter, sophomore Travis Blankenship, threw a gem the last time the Firebirds played at Hoglund Ballpark during the River City Baseball Festival last month.

It’s a park Free State knows well, and few other teams playing there today can say that.

“It means a lot,” Tyler Blankenship said. “It’s close to home, and more people can come support us. Hopefully it gives us an advantage, because I think we’ve played there more than anyone else has.”

The Free State-Blue Valley West game is the first of four in a long day of baseball at Hoglund. The four winners today will play semifinal games at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The third-place game is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, and the championship game will be played at 5:30 p.m.

6Sports video: Free State baseball ready to host competition for State tournament