photo by: Conner Becker

Free State junior Kyle Graves lets the ball fly during the Firebirds' 2-1 win over Olathe East on Saturday, April 8, 2023 at Free State High School.

A one-run seventh inning spoiled a shutout for the Free State baseball team, but it didn’t prevent the 2-1 victory over Olathe East on Saturday at home.

Even with five total hits on the afternoon, the Hawks were unable able to cross home plate until Reece Magathan slashed the Firebirds’ two-run lead in half with an RBI single in the top of the seventh.

With two outs away from the win, Free State (8-1) freshman starter Ben Graves hung on through the final out – a flyout to sophomore Ryan Weishaar. Through seven innings, Graves allowed just one run on five hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

“I expected him to handle it the way he did,” Free State coach Mike Hill said. “He’s grown up around the game. This is nothing new to him. It’s new on this field and new with this team, but it’s not new to him.”

Things opened with two innings of scoreless baseball, but O-East stirred things up with three consecutive base hits in the top of the third. With two outs and baserunners at second and third, Graves’ second strikeout of the afternoon removed Free State from the jam.

In the bottom of the third, an RBI triple by Graves, coupled with a sacrifice flyout by older brother Kyle Graves, handed the Firebirds a two-run lead that’d never be relinquished.

“I’ve been struggling from the plate recently,” Ben Graves said. “It feels good to get a nice hit and drive in a run to help us win the game.”

Keeping the Hawks to a quiet 1-2-3 in the fourth, Free State looked to threaten again when a base hit by sophomore Andrew Zimmerschied sent sophomore Wesley Cupps to third. A flyout by junior Buddy Lam ended the inning, leaving Firebirds at first and third.

O-East’s Magathan singled and stole second with one out in the top of the fifth, but things fell apart on a double play forced by Brayden Barber. Picking off Michael Novak in the top of the sixth, Ben Graves struck out Harry Tryban moving one inning closer to a potential shutout.

Cupps and Weishaar each singled in the bottom of the sixth, but the Firebirds couldn’t translate the hits into insurance runs. Hill said his young group didn’t seem to be pressed, defensively, until the seventh inning rolled around.

“There are decisions we make defensively that keep the tying run from getting into scoring position,” Hill said.

“It would’ve been nicer if we’d scored five or six (runs) then you would’ve felt a little different. That’s a very good (O-East) baseball team and our pitching and defense are really important to us right now because we’ve got so many kids in the lineup and they need time to grow.”

Free State travels to Shawnee Mission East on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

BOX SCORE:

Olathe East 000 000 1 – 1 5 3

Free State 002 000 X – 2 5 2

W – B. Graves; L – Meadows.

Highlights for Free State: K. Graves 1-for-2, RBI; Cupps 2-for-3; Lester 1-for-3; B. Graves 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 K, 1-for-3, RBI, 3B.