FINAL: SM Northwest 9, Free State 1

The Firebirds were retired 1-2-3 in the seventh and the game is over. SM Northwest takes third and Free State finishes the season with a batch of fourth-place medals.

The Firebirds finished the 2010 season with a 19-6 record and advanced to the state tournament for the sixth time in eight seasons.

For more on Saturday’s action, check Sunday’s Journal-World.

SM Northwest 9, Free State 1, Top 7th

Northwest threw up a five-spot in the sixth and this one appears to be all but over. The Cougars lead Free State 9-1 and are three outs away from avenging their earlier-season loss to the Firebirds and claiming third place.

Free State sends its 7-8-9 hitters to the plate to start the seventh.

SM Northwest 4, Free State 1, Bottom 6th

Senior Greg Davis has relieved Anderson with one out in the sixth. FSHS coach Mike Hill appears to be finding a way for all of his seniors to enter the game.

Senior Eric Anderson has relieved Robert Wagner on the mound for the Firebirds.

SMNW is now batting in the sixth.

SM Northwest 4, Free State 1, Bottom 6th

SM Northwest adds to its lead in the fifth, one run coming on an RBI double from Nick Feighner and the last two coming on an error by third baseman Cory Delg, who allowed a ball to roll between his legs with two outs in the inning.

Free State was retired 1-2-3 in the sixth and is now down to its final three outs of the season.

SM Northwest 1, Free State 1, Bottom 5th

The Firebirds tied things up in the top of the fifth. Michael Lisher led off with a sky ball that dropped in behind third for a double. Two batters later Connor Stremel singled and one batter later, Nick Hassig singled to left to tie the game.

SMNW is batting in the bottom of the fifth.

SM Northwest 1, Free State 0, Bottom 4th

Free State senior Robert Wagner has entered the game to relieve Ryan Scott on the mound.

Scott quickly retired the first two batters he face.

In addition, Preston Schenck has replaced Cody Kukuk in right field, ending a magnificent junior season from Kukuk.

SM Northwest 1, Free State 0, Top 4th

After a bunch of zeros through three innings, the Shawnee Mission Northwest baseball team cracked the scoreboard with an RBI double from Nick Feighner in the bottom of the third. The double scored Will Greenhaw, who walked to start the rally.

Free State pitcher Ryan Scott has held the Cougars to two hits in three innings of work. Free State, meanwhile, has been stymied by Northwest’s Chris Mansker, who started and has held the Firebirds hitless through four innings.

Although they’ve made plenty of sound plays, the body language of the Firebirds indicates that they’re not at all happy to be playing for third. Forty-five minutes after falling to Maize, 1-0, in eight innings in the semifinal game, the Firebirds were back on the field playing for the consolation prize.

With Scott on the mound, Toalson returns to shortstop, moving Bo Schneider over to second base to replace Scott. In addition, junior Cody Oller is behind the plate for the Firebirds in place of senior Adam Petz.