Free State junior starter Hayden Emerson delivers to the plate during the fifth inning against Shawnee Mission South Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at Free State High School.

In its biggest game of the season to date, Free State High’s baseball team got all it needed in the first inning.

Cody Kukuk drove in two runs with a single in the top of the inning, and starting pitcher Hayden Emerson retired Shawnee Mission South 1-2-3 in the bottom.

While the Firebirds’ offense cooled somewhat the rest of the way, Emerson did not. The junior hurler threw five strong innings and picked up the win in Free State’s 3-1 victory against the Raiders on Wednesday at FSHS.

With the victory, the Firebirds moved into sole possession of first place in the Sunflower League at 7-0. SM South, meanwhile, sits one game back, tied with Lawrence High for second place. Both second-place teams have just one loss, both courtesy of the Firebirds.

“We look at every game as important,” said FSHS junior Nick Hassig, who was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. “But we knew this was a big game because, if we won, it would put us in that front position in the race for the league title.”

Free State wasted no time racing to the front. Playing as the visiting team on the scoreboard — the game originally was scheduled to be played at SMS but moved to FSHS because of wet grounds — the Firebirds picked up two runs in the first three at-bats.

Junior Connor Stremel opened the game with a walk. Hassig followed with a sharply hit single. Kukuk then roped a pitch to center field, where Raiders’ outfielder Dustin King misplayed the ball, allowing both runners to score.

“That was huge,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said. “When you play a very good team with a very good pitcher, being able to put runs on the board right away puts people at ease, helps with the decisions you make in the dugout and gives you a little wiggle room.”

Not that the Firebirds needed it. For five innings, Emerson kept the SM South hitters quiet, surrendering just two hits and walking none while striking out four.

The only blemish on Emerson’s night came in the bottom of the second inning when cleanup hitter Nick Zuk led off with a double and later scored on a throwing error by Emerson.

After retiring the next two batters with ease to leave Zuk stuck at third with two outs, Emerson fielded a slow dribbler in front of home plate and fired to first for what would have been the third out of the inning. But the throw went wide, pulling first baseman Michael Lisher off the bag, and Zuk scored.

“I fielded it cleanly. I just thought I had less time than I did, and I rushed the throw,” Emerson said. “It was a costly error, but we won the game, and that’s all that matters.”

The Raiders managed just one more hit off Emerson before he handed the ball to Ryan Scott in the sixth to slam the door. Scott was touched for three hits in two innings, but picked up the save by striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh after allowing the first two batters of the inning to reach with singles.

“We’ve been in (close games) almost every game we’ve played in this year,” Hill said. “And I think the kids feel comfortable in these situations and have confidence in these situations because of the results we’ve had.”

Although the Firebirds (11-1 overall, 7-0 Sunflower League) produced a season-high nine hits off one of the best pitchers in the Sunflower League — Mike Morin — Emerson’s outing was the highlight of the night.

“He was unbelievable,” Hill said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with his effort, and I’m so happy for him and proud of him. He mixed his pitches well and threw them for strikes, and that’s the key to pitching at this level.”

As for his own assessment, a smiling Emerson was not 100 percent sold.

“It was a solid outing, I’ll say that,” he said. “But I had the error that led to the only run, so I think I could have done better.”