Free State High’s baseball juggernaut had just run-ruled Leavenworth, and Firebirds’ coach Mike Hill sounded like he had bitten into yesterday’s beans.

“Certainly, we were stale,” Hill said after the 12-2 romp Thursday at Free State. “That’s the best way to describe our performance.”

On paper, no one would have guessed the Firebirds’ coach was unhappy, not after his team pounded 14 hits that included six doubles — two each by Jake Hoover and Scott Heitshusen — and a triple by Brett Lisher.

The Firebirds also stole six bases, two by first baseman Lorenzo Ricketts, and posted their 12th straight victory.

Nevertheless, Hill wasn’t performing cartwheels.

“You only get 21 opportunities to play in Kansas high schools,” he said, “and I’m not sure we took advantage of this opportunity. We need to be focused on every pitch, every game. That’s what’s disappointing.”

Hoover, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, admitted the Firebirds lacked mental focus, but didn’t blame it on the fact the Pioneers were a perennially poor team.

“We were flat today,” Hoover said. “It wasn’t the opposition. It’s just that we hadn’t played with a 1 o’clock start before, so we were a little lackadaisical.”

The Sunflower League game actually started at 1:30 p.m., four hours earlier than the customary first pitch for home games, because the Pioneers needed to be in Leavenworth that night for an ROTC function.

Free State baseball coach Mike Hill talks with his players after the Firebirds' 12-2 rout of Leavenworth. Hill wasn't thrilled with Free State's play Thursday at FSHS.

Free State came to life in the third inning, scoring seven runs on six hits and three Leavenworth errors. The big frame featured two-run doubles by Heitshusen and Robby Price.

Left-hander Travis Blankenship hurled the first four innings to boost his record to 3-1. Heitshusen pitched a scoreless fifth. Then Heitshusen’s second double with one out in the bottom of the fifth plated the 11th and 12th runs and invoked the 10-run euthanasia rule.

“On the bright side, it was a league opponent, and that puts us one step closer to one of our goals,” Hill said. “We’ll put this one behind us, and we have a big week next week.”

If the Firebirds (15-2) win Tuesday against visiting Shawnee Mission East, they’ll clinch the school’s third-straight league baseball championship. If they lose, they still can clinch in their regular-season finale against Lawrence High on Thursday at Ice Field.

But even before that, the Firebirds will be traveling Monday to Kansas City, Mo., to meet Blue Valley North at Kauffman Stadium.

The Firebirds will be playing in the home of the Royals as part of the American League team’s policy of permitting high school teams to play at The K if they sell 1,000 tickets to a future Royals game.

“I’m excited,” Heitshusen said. “What kid wouldn’t want to play at a pro stadium?”

6Sports video: Firebirds on road to winning league championship (05-05-05)

Hill opted to have Free State players, their parents and boosters sell tickets for a Royals’ game against the World Champion Boston Red Sox in late August.

“We still have some available,” Hill said. “If we don’t sell them all, we’ll have to dip into booster funds, but why not? What a thrill … even for an old guy like me to stand in the third-base coaching box.”