Free State pitcher Cody Kukuk delivers against Shawnee Mission West on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at FSHS.

One team capitalized on every possible opportunity, and one didn’t.

Such was the case for Free State High’s baseball team in a 3-2 setback in eight innings to Shawnee Mission West on Thursday at FSHS.

The Firebirds outhit the Vikings, 7-3, but walked seven — two of which came around to score — and made too many mistakes to come away with a victory.

“We’re running two first-team all state pitchers out there, but the name of the game is throwing strikes, playing defense and timely hitting,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said.

“We actually played decent defense today. But we had no timely hitting and didn’t throw strikes.”

FSHS (11-3) fell behind 2-0 after three innings as Jon Underwood scored twice on passed balls against starter Cody Kukuk.

“Coach always says it’s the little things that count; it’s a game of inches,” said senior Colin Toalson, who suffered the loss in relief. “It’s that passed ball, any kind of error we had … it adds up to a loss.”

Kukuk, who missed a scheduled start Tuesday because of illness, was still feeling the effects Thursday, but battled through five innings while striking out five and walking four.

SMW starter Jordan Neff did just enough to hold the Firebirds scoreless through four innings, though FSHS left a handful of runners on base.

“We didn’t swing the bats well to begin with,” senior Tim Lewis said. “We give up three hits (and), we should win the ballgame.”

Though the Firebirds tied the game in the fifth on an RBI triple to center by Toalson and an RBI single by Lewis, they left the bases loaded –again squandering a key opportunity to pull ahead.

After the Vikings rallied to take the lead in the eighth after a leadoff walk and a two-out RBI double by Mitch Witter, the Firebirds went quickly and quietly to end the game.

“We certainly had some, what I could characterize as noncompetitive, at-bats,” Hill said. “It looked like we started to get some things going in the fifth, some better swings, but they made the pitching change, and we didn’t make the adjustment.”

The Firebirds were certainly frustrated after losing their second straight contest, but have a short turnaround with hopes of ending the skid. FSHS will play at Blue Valley North at 5 tonight.