Firebirds knock off Wichita Northwest 11-0, advance to semis

No. 4 Free State to face No. 1 Maize at 12:30 Saturday

Free State pinch runner Bo Schneider heads home for a run during the first inning against Wichita Northwest Friday, May 28, 2010 at Hoglund Ballpark.

Free State outfielder Timothy Lewis (4) is congratulated in the dugout by his teammates after scoring during the first inning against Wichita Northwest Friday, May 28, 2010 at Hoglund Ballpark. Lewis drove in two runs with a triple prior to scoring himself.

Free State starter Cody Kukuk delivers to the plate during the first inning against Wichita Northwest Friday, May 28, 2010 at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Free State Firebirds stretch prior to Friday night's game against Wichita Northwest at Hoglund Ballpark.

FINAL: Free State 11, Wichita NW 0

Kukuk strikes out one more — good for No. 12 on the night — and then fires a rocket to first base to retire the final batter of the night, as Free State improves to 19-4 with an 11-0 victory.

Kukuk finished the night with 5 IP, 1 H, 12 Ks, 5 BBs, 0 Rs and 114 pitches. He improves to 9-0 on the year.

Free State now will face top-seeded Maize at 12:30 Saturday in the Class 6A semifinals.

Free State 11, Wichita NW 0, Top 5th

Firebirds go down in order in the fourth and are now just three outs away from ending this one. Kukuk takes the mound again for the top of the fifth, with minimal action in the Free State bullpen.

Free State 11, Wichita NW 0, Bottom 4th

Kukuk strikes out two more Grizzlies to run his game total to 11 and the Firebirds continue to cruise, now sitting just four runs — or an inning and a half — away from ending this one early.

Free State 11, Wichita NW 0, Top 4th

Another explosive inning at the plate has turned a 4-0 lead into an 11-0 laugher for the Free State Firebirds.

In the bottom of the third, Free State sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs. The Firebirds got RBIs from Adam Petz, Michael Lisher, Connor Stremel and Cody Kukuk.

While the bats continue to be hot for FSHS, Kukuk continues to dominate on the mound. Although FSHS coach Mike Hill surely considered taking Kukuk out with the big lead, he left him in to take the mound in the fourth, largely because of his high pitch count. Through three innings, Kukuk had thrown 79 pitches.

Free State 4, Wichita NW 0, Bottom 3rd

The Firebirds go down quietly in the bottom of the second but Kukuk was anything but quiet in the top of the third. For the third consecutive inning, Kukuk struck out the side to keep WNW scoreless.

Through three innings Kukuk has nine strikeouts and five walks. What’s more, the Grizzlies have yet to put a ball in play.

Free State 4, Wichita NW 0, Bottom 2nd

For the second inning in a row, Kukuk walked two and struck out the side, leaving a pair of runners stranded as Free State heads to the bottom of the second with a 4-run lead and No. 9 hitter Cory Delg coming to the plate.

Through two innings Kukuk has four walks and six strikeouts.

Free State 4, Wichita NW 0, Top 2nd

Free State junior Tim Lewis continues his torrid May with a two-RBI triple in the bottom of the first that gave Free State a 2-0 lead. One batter later, Colin Toalson’s single plated Lewis to give FSHS a 3-0 lead.

Lewis’s triple scored Connor Stremel (who led off with a single) and Cody Kukuk (who reached on a fielder’s choice).

Adam Petz followed with an RBI single that scored Toalson.

The early onslaught inspired Wichita Northwest coach Travis Stockam to replace starting pitcher Ethan Chadick. Now pitching for the Grizzlies is No. 24 Brandon Phillips.

The Firebirds sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the first but the inning ended with courtesy runner Austin Holladay being picked off of second base.

8:20 p.m. Update

True to form, Free State junior Cody Kukuk walks two and strikes out the side in the top of the first. Kukuk fanned the first, third and fifth batters of the inning, including the last one looking.

The Firebirds are batting in the first inning.

8:02 p.m. Update

Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s game.

Free State is wearing all white with green hats. Wichita Northwest is wearing white pants with dark blue tops and white and blue hats.

Free State Firebirds (18-4)

Connor Stremel, cf

Nick Hassing, lf

Cody Kukuk, p

Tim Lewis, dh

Colin Toalson, ss

Ryan Scott, 2b

Adam Petz, c

Michael Lisher, 1b

Cory Delg, 3b

Preston Schenck is playing right field for the Firebirds.

Wichita Northwest Grizzlies (18-4)

Taylor Herrington, 2b

Jared Warren, ss

Bob Arens, c

Brandon Phillips, 3b

Tevin Kendall, lf

Cody Eaves, 1b

Jake Jones, rf

Ethan Chadick, p

A.J. Putnam, dh

Joshua King is playing center field for the Grizzlies.

The Firebirds are the home team and have taken the field, with all-state hurler Cody Kukuk on the mound.

Game on.

7:23 p.m. Update

Top-seeded Maize came from behind to knock off No. 8 seed Olathe North, 3-2, in the opening round of the Class 6A state tournament at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark.

Maize trailed 2-0 after 2 innings but tied things in the bottom of the third and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the fifth.

Maize advances to Saturday’s semifinals, where they’ll meet the winner of the game between Free State and Wichita Northwest at 12:30 p.m.

First pitch for the Firebirds now is expected to come around 8 p.m.

Check back throughout the night for inning-by-inning updates.

Original Post

Two years ago the Free State High baseball team took the field for the Class 6A state tournament as the No. 1 seed and with hopes of securing the program’s second state championship by the end of the weekend.

That dream was snapped in Round 1 as the Firebirds lost to Lawrence High in the tournament’s opening game.

After sitting out last year’s state tourney — for just the second time in eight years — the Firebirds are back as this year’s No. 4 seed. Free State (18-4) will take on No. 5 Wichita Northwest (18-4) in the final game of the opening round tonight at Hoglund Ballpark.

The game was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. but delays and slow play throughout the day have pushed the start time back. Now, tonight’s game tentatively is scheduled to begin at 7:45 p.m.

No. 1 Maize and No. 8 Olathe North were locked in a 2-all tie in the top of the fifth at 6:40 p.m.

Earlier today, No. 2 SM Northwest and No. 6 Blue Valley advanced to Saturday.

Check back soon for more on tonight’s matchup between the Firebirds and Grizzlies.