photo by: Mike Yoder

Free State shortstop Matt Hill, left, turns a double play during the Firebirds' game Friday against Tulsa Memorial in the River City Baseball Festival at FSHS.

One of the beautiful qualities of baseball is the ability to play the next day. It wipes away the memories of any bad plays or pitches.

Looking to bounce back after giving up four runs in one inning, Free State High junior pitcher Aaron Funk was back to his usual self Friday. He shined on the mound, striking out six in four innings in a 10-0 victory against Tulsa (Okla.) Memorial at FSHS.

It was the same story for the Firebirds, who made uncharacteristic mistakes in the field and on the basepaths in their previous game. They made no errors and were rewarded for aggressiveness on offense.

photo by: Mike Yoder

Free State High pitcher Aaron Funk (22) delivers a pitch during the Firebirds' game Friday against Tulsa Memorial in the River City Baseball Festival at FSHS.

Funk, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound right-hander, was in control after allowing a hit and a walk in the first inning. He settled in and unloaded a mid-80s fastball and devastating curveball on Memorial hitters.

Among the final 10 batters who faced Funk, only one ball left the infield — a flyout to center field.

“He showed some fortitude by bouncing back today and throwing well, attacking the zone,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said of Funk. “The breaking ball was really good. Velocity is already there on the fastball. You add a good 12-6 hard-breaking curveball like that, you’ve got the makings of something.”

Hill said it was important for Funk to return to the mound Friday after getting hit around for an inning Thursday. It was his first bad outing of the season, and it gave him a chance to redeem himself.

“It feels great,” Funk said. “Just prepared for them and gave them the best I had.”

The game ended in the fifth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule, when FSHS junior outfielder Jacob Pavlyak stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and laced a RBI single into left field.

Pavlyak, who joined the team a few weeks late because of the basketball season, has started to find his rhythm at the plate. He went 2-for-2 with two walks on Friday after drilling two hits in the previous afternoon.

“Coaches have been helping me the whole year so far, and I feel like it’s finally coming around,” Pavlyak said. “I’m just seeing it better.”

Hill added: “He’s got ability with the bat, and he’s had a couple of nice hits the last couple of days. That’s important for us, because if he’s going and we get some people in the bottom part of the lineup going, we can be a handful offensively.”

The Firebirds (9-1) scored six runs in the third inning with the help of a few errors. Junior third baseman Zion Bowlin hit a leadoff double, then scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore outfielder Kyle Abrahamson. After four straight hitters reached base via two walks and two errors, FSHS seniors Mikey Corbett and Bradley Collicott hit RBI infield singles.

Corbett and Bowlin each scored in the first inning on a throwing error when Memorial’s catcher tried to pick off Corbett at third base and the ball rolled into left field.

“We got a few breaks, but we played well,” Hill said. “I liked the way we swung the bats. We hit the ball hard.”

With a large lead, it gave the Firebirds a chance to bring in some new faces. In the fifth inning, junior pitcher Peyton Habiger struck out the side in his varsity debut.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, senior Kendall Fritzel hit a pinch-hit single and scored on an error.

“Today we played mistake-free baseball, I think, and it really showed our full potential,” Pavlyak said.

The Firebirds will face O’Gorman (S.D.) at 11:15 a.m. today at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark. A radio broadcast will be streamed online (www.mixlr.com/hedricksportsradio).

Memorial 000 00 — 0 2 5

Free State 206 02 — 10 9 0

W — Aaron Funk, 2-0. L — Matt Garroutte.

2B — Zion Bowlin, FS.

Free State highlights — Funk, 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 6 K; Peyton Habiger, 1 IP, 0 H, 3 K; Mikey Corbett, 1-for-2, walk, 3 runs, RBI; Bowlin, 2-for-2, 2 walks, 2 runs; Jacob Pavlyak, 2-for-2, 2 walks, RBI; Kendall Fritzel, 1-for-1, run.