photo by: Richard Gwin

Free State junior Daniel Bryant, left, makes the catch in left-center field as junior Jacob Pavlyak backs him up. Free State beat Derby, 10-0, on Thursday at Hoglund Ballpark at Kansas University in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament.

Free State High’s baseball team opened the Class 6A state tournament by showing off its offense, cruising to a 10-0 run-rule victory in five innings over fifth-seeded Derby on Thursday at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark.

The fourth-seeded Firebirds (19-4) scored two runs in the first inning when sophomore Kyle Abrahamson hit a RBI single, scoring junior Jacob Pavlyak. Abrahamson later scored on an error.

With three runs in the second inning — RBI doubles from senior Mikey Corbett and junior Zion Bowlin — and four runs in the fifth inning, the Firebirds worked their way to 10-run mercy rule.

On the mound, Free State senior Hunter Gudde tossed five shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out eight.

The Firebirds will face top-seeded Blue Valley (21-2) at Friday in the state semifinals. The time has yet to be determined after two state quarterfinals games were postponed because of rain.

Derby 000 000 0 — 0 1 3

Free State 231 04 — 10 9 1

W — Hunter Gudde, 7-1. L — Braden Ash.

2B — Mikey Corbett, Zion Bowlin, FS.

FSHS highlights — Gudde, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K; Jacob Pavlyak, 2-for-3, walk, 3 runs, RBI; Corbett, 1-for-3, HBP, 2 runs, RBI; Bowlin, 1-for-3, HBP, 2 RBI, run; Kyle Abrahamson, 2-for-3, walk, 3 RBI; Daniel Bryant, 1-for-1, 2 walks, 2 runs.

— Check back with ljworld.com for much more coverage from Free State’s first-round victory and read about it in Friday’s print newspaper.