Free State High's Adam Rock dives for a line drive. Rock didn't quite come up with it, but the Firebirds beat Lawrence High, 6-4, Wednesday at Ice Field.

Lawrence High started with a bang and went out with a flurry.

But it was all Free State in between.

The Firebirds knocked off the Lions, 6-4, Wednesday at Ice Field and in doing so clinched their sixth Sunflower League baseball title in 11 years.

Wednesday’s game, which was the completion of a postponed contest in April, began with LHS leading 2-0 with the bases loaded and one out in the first inning. Free State starter Caleb Gress struck out the first batter he faced, but then surrendered a single to LHS right fielder Tyler Bailey. Bailey’s hit pushed the Lions’ advantage to 4-0. It also signaled the end of his team’s offensive production, as the Lions struck out 13 times and managed just five hits while stranding nine base-runners.

“That’s sort of been an Achilles’ heel for us all season,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said. “We’ve struck out way too many times this season. But I think you have to give credit to the Gress kid. He was very good tonight.”

Gress said the Free State coaching staff stressed damage control, not domination, before the game. It worked, as Gress got out of the first with minimal damage and watched with delight as the Firebirds’ bats did the rest.

FSHS scored three runs on five hits in the top of the second inning. From there, Gress settled into a groove and retired seven of the next eight LHS batters before the Lions managed another hit.

“I think that second inning took some pressure off ‘Bubba,'” said Free State catcher E.J. Swanson, referring to Gress. “It seemed like he felt more comfortable going out there after that, and he did his job. He did a heck of a job.”

Swanson’s suspicion was right on the money.

“Even though we weren’t ahead, it felt like I was pitching with the lead,” Gress said.

That lead eventually came thanks to a pair of home runs from the Firebirds’ potent lineup. The first, a two-run shot from senior Alex Hardman, came in the top of the third inning. After freshman Cody Kukuk reached first base on an LHS error, Hardman sent a bomb over the left-center-field fence. The home run was Hardman’s second round-tripper in two nights.

“We’ll have to check Alex and see if he’s been hanging out with Roger Clemens,” Free State skipper Mike Hill said. “I know it’s cliche, but it’s so good to see good things happen to good kids.”

Not to be outdone, Swanson sent a solo shot to left field in the fourth. Although the Firebirds have made their living this season with base hits inside the ballpark, the longball went a long way Wednesday night.

“You never expect the home run,” Swanson said. “But it always feels good.”

Neither team threatened in the fifth or sixth inning, as Gress appeared to get stronger as the game went on, and LHS starter Dorian Green scrambled to keep his team in the ballgame.

With the Firebirds holding a 6-4 advantage heading into the bottom of the seventh, Gress walked Lawrence’s Chase Muder to start the seventh and was pulled immediately in favor of closer Ryan Scott.

Scott did his best to add drama to the high-tension affair, as he loaded the bases allowing back-to-back hits from Joe Kornbrust and Travis Sanders, but he struck out the final two batters he faced to nail down the victory for the Firebirds.

“He did a great job of keeping his composure, and I’m just really proud of him,” Swanson said.

Free State (15-2) and Lawrence High (9-8) will lock horns again at 7 tonight at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark. Although the game won’t count in the league standings, it could have an impact on both teams’ positioning for regionals.

“We’re just going to go out there in a great environment and have some fun,” Hill said.

Tom Schuh will start on the mound for LHS, and senior Cody Lown will get the start for Free State.