Free State’s Ryan Scott slides safely across home in the top of the eighth inning. The Firebirds defeated Lawrence High for the second time in two days with a 6-5 victory on Friday at LHS.

For the second night in a row, the baseball battle between Lawrence High and Free State came down to the final inning.

And for the second night in a row, it was the Firebirds who delivered when it counted most, this time when an RBI single by Cory Delg scored Ryan Scott to give Free State a 6-5 win in eight innings at LHS.

“That’s two classic baseball games on back-to-back nights between two good teams,” LHS coach Brad Stoll said. “You just hate walking out of here with another loss.”

The way this one unfolded it was evident early that whichever team came up short was going to have a hard time accepting the defeat.

Free State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Connor Stremel smacked an RBI single that scored Scott and Delg. That lead held until the third when the Lions scored three runs to take a 3-2 lead. The big blow in the inning came off the bat of senior Albert Minnis, who ripped the first of two, two-RBI doubles on the night.

Free State reclaimed the lead in the fourth in an unusual way. Before Nick Hassig’s RBI single drove in Stremel to make it 5-3, the Firebirds had scored two runs without a single hit. The first came via heads-up base running by senior Michael Lisher and the second on a throwing error by LHS catcher Jon Pederson and more solid base running from Scott.

“We’re such an experienced team that we know how to find ways to score even when our bats aren’t going,” Stremel said.

Added Hill: “No matter how much experience you have, you have to physically make plays to win ballgames and I thought we did that tonight.”

Minnis’ second double tied the game in the fifth and from there the two teams were scoreless until the eighth.

Scott singled to start the final inning and then stole second. That set the stage for Delg, who ripped a single back up the box to drive in the winning run.

“A game like this always comes down to the wire,” Stremel said. “I think it just came down to clutch hitting and smart base running.”

The Lions had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth, an inning that turned out to be as wild as any either team had played all season. Junior Aaron Gile led off with a single and, playing to tie, Stoll called for Pederson to sacrifice bunt. After taking a couple of pitches, Pederson popped a bunt up to Lisher at first base for what appeared to be the first out. However, the field umpire ruled that he had called a balk on FSHS pitcher Colin Toalson before the pitch, putting Cody Jones — who pinch ran for Gile — on second base and bringing Pederson back to the plate. Two pitches later, Pederson again popped a bunt into the air. This time, FSHS catcher Adam Petz caught it and doubled off Jones at second base. Toalson struck out pinch hitter Matt Sutliffe in the next at-bat to end the game.

“You get the balk call, you get a gift,” Stoll said. “We had a really talented base runner at second and a scrappy hitter at the plate and it just didn’t go our way. But I guarantee you that both of those guys will come through next time, no doubt about it.”

Hill, who argued the timing of the balk call during live action, said he was most pleased by the way his players reacted during the wild finish.

“What I like about our team is, in emotional moments like that, the kids stay poised,” Hill said. “I like the composure we have. We weren’t real sharp offensively tonight but we kept after it and kept chipping away and found a way to win.”

The victory improved Free State to 16-4. The Firebirds will be the No. 2 seed at next week’s regionals and will host. LHS (10-10) fell into a tie for the No. 3 seed with Washburn Rural and the two schools will flip a coin for the third seed today. Should they win the coin flip, the Lions would play in the Free State regional. If they lose it, LHS would be the four-seed and would travel to Manhattan for regionals.