Free State's Caleb Gress delivers against Olathe East. Gress pitched 51â3 innings in the Firebirds' 14-10 victory Monday at Free State.

Olathe East, the school that ended Free State High’s run of four straight Sunflower League baseball titles last season, came to town Monday night, and the Firebirds delivered the kind of performance that showed the Hawks they shouldn’t get too comfortable with the title of Sunflower League champions.

Behind a five-run first and 51â3 solid innings from starter Caleb Gress, Free State defeated Olathe East, 14-10, to move to 7-0 on the season.

“It was our first home game, it was two teams atop the league standings, and they were the defending league champs,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said. “I think our kids understood the significance of today’s game, and in the first inning they proved they were ready to go.”

Monday’s match-up between the top two teams in the state quickly became a laugher, as No. 1 Free State jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three innings.

As he has done so often this season, Free State’s Adam Rock got things started by reaching first base after being hit by a pitch. Rock then scored on Jordan Dreiling’s double and the rout was on. John Wilson then doubled Dreiling in; E.J Swanson doubled Wilson home; and Cody Kukuk’s single plated Swanson.

“That helps me out a lot,” said Gress, who retired three straight in the top of the first after Olathe East’s Brett Ater opened the game with a double. “Pitching with a lead is just a lot easier.”

Gress enjoyed such a luxury throughout this one, as he pitched into the sixth inning and surrendered just five hits, four runs and struck out five. Hill said the key to Gress’s success against Olathe East’s stout lineup was keeping the Hawks off balance.

“He threw multiple pitches for strikes and that’s the key to pitching at any level,” Hill said.

While Gress was cruising, Olathe East’s Colton Murray was struggling. Murray, whom Hill called “as fine a pitcher as you’ll find in the state,” was touched up for nine runs on eight hits through four innings.

Swanson reached base four times on the day and finished 3-for-4, with three RBIs and two runs scored. Kukuk added three hits while Wilson, Dreiling, Tyler Hatesohl and Alex Hardman added two apiece.

With the game out of reach, Olathe East tacked on five runs in the seventh to set the final margin. But the rough final inning did nothing to erase Free State’s dominant display. So convincing were the Firebirds in this one, that they had at-bats in the fifth and sixth innings that would have ended the game early by way of the run-rule. In the end, however, the final result was all that mattered.

“We tossed around the run-rule in the dugout,” Swanson said. “And it would’ve been nice. But we’re just happy we came out with the win.”

Next up for the Firebirds is Thursday’s opening game of the River City Classic. Free State will take on Warrensburg, Mo. at 6:30 p.m.