If Free State High hopes to win its second Class 6A state baseball title in the last three years, the Firebirds will have to get by crosstown rival Lawrence High first.

Free State (19-2) is the No. 1 seed and Lawrence High (11-10) is seeded No. 8 for the 6A state tourney next weekend at Topeka’s Hummer Park.

That means the Firebirds and Lions will meet in a first-round game at 11 a.m. Friday.

Free State and Lawrence will be clashing for the third time this spring. In games played on back-to-back days last week, Free State edged the Lions twice – 6-4 at Ice Field and 4-3 at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Firebirds will go into Friday’s game with a six-game win streak while the Lions, who were bogged down with a 4-7 record at midseason, have won seven of their last 10.

Lawrence High will be seeking its third state baseball crown. The Lions were 6A champs in 1996 and 2000. The Firebirds won the Class 6A state title in 2006.