photo by: Chris Duderstadt

Free State's softball team celebrates as Taylor Burks heads home to score the winning run in the Firebirds' 8-7 victory over Ottawa on Friday, April 27, 2018 at FSHS.

The Free State softball team may be the No. 8 seed at this year’s Class 6A state tournament, but the Firebirds also have arguably the most feared pitcher in the entire field in their dugout.

For that reason, and many others, the Firebirds (15-7) are looking at today’s 11 a.m. round 1 matchup with No. 1 seed Blue Valley (21-1) as more of a coin-flip game than a battle of David vs. Goliath.

“Our confidence is really high and we’re really excited for our game with Blue Valley,” said senior second baseman Grace Patchen before Thursday’s final practice of the season.

That pitcher, freshman Tatum Clopton, who turned 15 just three days ago, is one of the biggest reasons the Firebirds are taking a fearless attitude into this year’s state tournament.

At last week’s regional tournament in Wichita, Clopton picked up a couple of wins, including a 16-strikeout, 76-pitch outing in the regional title game to help put Free State in the field of eight at state.

And while just about everyone involved with high school softball in the state of Kansas knows Clopton is capable of delivering that type of outing any time she takes the mound, the Firebirds are not simply planning on sitting back and watching her work.

“Our defense has to be ready,” said freshman shortstop Sara Roszak, who led the Sunflower League in hitting with a .632 batting average and tied for the team lead with four home runs this season. “We can’t just rely on strikeouts.”

Free State coach Lee Ice, who knows that Clopton is one of those once-in-a-decade type of pitchers who is capable of carrying the Firebirds to the state title, said he emphasized the team mentality throughout the week leading up to the state tournament opener.

“She’s been really good on the mound for us,” Ice said. “But those girls know that they have to be ready at all times. They might only have to make six plays the whole game, but if they don’t make them, it’s going to make advancing a lot harder.”

Clopton appeared in just seven games all season due to soreness in her right shoulder. But Ice said she has looked fully healthy during the final couple of weeks of the season and threw back-to-back, 90-pitch bullpens this week to get ready for the two-day state tournament.

In 37 innings, she allowed just five runs and 10 hits and struck out 71 while walking just four batters on her way to a sparkling 0.57 earned-run average.

“It’s just crazy,” said Roszak, who has played with Clopton for the past couple of years. “Whenever she plays, she just brings so much energy and such a good vibe to everybody involved with the game.”

Added Patchen of the Firebirds’ ace: “Everyone knows what she’s capable of.”

Ice said he thought Blue Valley would counter Clopton with a senior right-hander, Grace Garcia, who is headed to South Dakota to play college softball next year.

Because both teams are expected to put elite-level arms in the circle, Ice said Free State’s first-round showdown with the Tigers could be a low-scoring affair. While that could work to Free State’s advantage, because it likely would mean that Clopton brought her best stuff to the park, it also would put pressure on the Firebirds’ offense and defense.

“We just haven’t done that,” Ice said of playing in low-scoring games. “Most of our games have been 10-8, 8-7, scores like that. But it’s all about the crooked numbers. Usually we talk about not giving up three or four runs in an inning, but in this one, a crooked number could be two. The one-run innings won’t kill you, but if you’re scoring three or four runs in an inning, it’s going to be tough to come back for either team. This one could come down to whichever team makes the fewest mistakes.”

Of course, with Clopton on their side, the Firebirds feel like anything is possible. But their goal entering this one is to play sound defense, keep their offense rolling and do whatever it takes to advance.

With a lineup that features seven players who had 50 or more at-bats this season topping the .300 mark — Patchen (.345), Clopton (.530), Roszak (.632), Lauryn Jones (.463), Emma Stanwix (.364), Taylor Burks (.349) and Georgia Rea (.323) — the Firebirds are confident that their bats can deliver if they’re needed.

But whether it’s offense or defense, pitching or hitting, big numbers or small, there’s only one thing that matters to the Firebirds during the next two days.

“We want to win state,” said Patchen.

“And we want to have a little fun along the way trying to do it,” added Roszak.

The winner of today’s Free State-Blue Valley battle will play again in Friday’s semifinals at 11 a.m. against the winner of the 4-5 matchup between Olathe South and Washburn Rural.

The winner of that will play in Friday’s state title game at 5 p.m.