Back at the Class 6A state tournament for the second straight year, Free State High baseball players know their routine. They are relaxed but still anxious to return to the field.

After winning a state championship last season, the Firebirds will attempt to become the first school to win back-to-back titles in 25 years, starting with their first-round matchup against fifth-seeded Derby at 1:15 p.m. today at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark.

“It feels a little less tight,” Free State senior second baseman Mikey Corbett said. “There’s a little less nerves. Just a little familiarity going into this week. But there’s still the same angst.”

The fourth-seeded Firebirds (18-4) have won their last six games through their formula of strong pitching, solid defense and timely hitting. Now the key is winning two games in three days against the state’s best — again.

“We know what it takes, which is an important part,” Corbett said. “We know we can’t make many mistakes. We’re going to have to be flawless. We’re playing a lot of good teams. There’s really no room for error. But with that, we can’t be tight or nervous, because that’s when you start making those mistakes.”

Free State’s biggest concern in the first round is containing Derby’s strong offense and speed on the base-paths.

The Firebirds will send out senior pitcher Hunter Gudde, who didn’t throw a pitch at regionals last week. For the past five weeks, he has pitched in relief, giving his team a dominant arm in late innings. Gudde tossed nine shutout innings in last year’s state tournament.

“He’s thrown in big situations, plus he’s very athletic off of the mound,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said of Gudde.

The Panthers (17-5) have won eight straight games, giving up two runs or fewer in their last seven. They lost in the first round of the state tournament last year, falling, 8-5, in 11 innings against Olathe South.

“Position by position, it’s hard for us to stack up athletically with them,” Hill said. “They’ve got some really good-looking kids that can run. I think their team speed is certainly that sticks out there. Very aggressive on the base-paths, and I think very aggressive at the plate. We’ve got our hands full trying to control them.”

Similar to Free State, Derby features a strong pitching staff. Senior Branson Bishop, junior Tanner Olmstead and junior Braden Ash have each pitched more than 30 innings this season and own earned-run averages below 2.00.

The Firebirds don’t know which pitcher they will face in the first round, but they’ve seen plenty of aces throughout the season, giving them confidence against anybody.

“I think we’ve seen everybody’s No. 1 guy,” FSHS center fielder Jacob Pavlyak said. “We’re used to seeing the best pitchers in the state. I think that’ll help us a bunch going into the game against Derby.”

Hill added: “They believe in themselves, and they should. They’re familiar with their surroundings and what they’re going into in terms of being in the state tournament and what it takes to win there. I think they are playing confident and free and easy, and that’s exactly where you want them.”

Thursday

No. 1 Blue Valley (20-2) vs. No. 8 Junction City (13-9), 11 a.m.

No. 4 Free State (18-4) vs. No. 5 Derby (17-5), 1:15 p.m.

No. 2 Olathe South (18-4) vs. No. 7 Washburn Rural (14-8), 3:30 p.m.

No. 3 Shawnee Mission East (18-4) vs. No. 6 Wichita West (16-6), 5:45 p.m.

Friday

Semifinals

Blue Valley-Junction City winner vs. Free State-Derby winner, 11 a.m.

Olathe South-Washburn Rural winner vs. SM East-Wichita West winner, 1:15 p.m.

Third Place

Semifinal losers, 3:30 p.m.

Championship

Semifinal winners, 5:45 p.m.