photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Free State's Finn Moore takes a swing at a Lawrence High pitch on Friday, May 9, 2025, during the City Showdown game at Lawrence, High School.

Free State baseball (21-2) defeated Lawrence (8-15) by a score of 6-4 in a back-and-forth affair on Friday night at Lawrence High School.

While the Firebirds ultimately came away victorious, the Lions continued to respond and never let the deficit get out of hand.

“We talked about competing and putting our best foot forward, and I thought there were guys that really did a nice job of that tonight,” Lawrence coach Adam Green said. “I thought we kept some pressure on them, so that’s all you can ask.”

Free State head coach Mike Hill praised the Lions’ players after the game, saying they played terrific and were aggressive at the plate.

The Firebirds were able to hold the lead thanks in part to pitcher Nathan Young, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. Hill credited his reliever, saying his performance provided stability while on defense.

Junior Ben Graves was a spark plug in his own right for Free State, going 3-for-4 at the plate with two triples and a double.

“I think I was struggling (during the) middle of the year, but I think that after last game, I really felt something click,” Graves said. “I really just carried yesterday’s game into this game, and it’s all about simplifying and trying to hit line drives.”

Graves made just as much of an impact on the mound, pitching the final two innings to record a six-out save, crediting his teammates’ ability to play hard in the field behind him.

“It takes a lot of stress off my back knowing that all my teammates believe in me, and they know that I can go out there and pitch,” Graves said.

The Firebirds took the lead in the top of the first with two runs. Andrew Zimmerschied drove in Ryker Mahnke with a double for the first run, before Finn Moore produced an RBI groundout to score Ben Graves for the team’s second run.

The Lions cut the deficit in half at the bottom of the first thanks to a double and smart baserunning by Hudson Hardesty. Hardesty perfectly read a ball in the dirt to advance to third base and scored on a groundout. Firebird starter Cayman Cook settled in and finished the inning with a groundout and strikeout.

In the top of the second, Free State benefited from a hit-by-pitch and a walk to put the first two batters on base. A sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third, and a sacrifice fly from Mahnke scored Charlie Peters to extend the lead to 3-1. Lawrence pitcher Logan Sheldon induced a flyout to center fielder Jaxon Becker, keeping the deficit at two runs.

Lawrence cut into the deficit with another run in the home half of the second, which was created after a walk from Logan Harris and a double by Brandt Edmonds. Sheldon provided his own run support with an RBI groundout to score Harris, before a lineout and flyout kept the Free State lead at 3-2.

The offensive sparks continued to fly in the third as Graves began the inning with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly. Finn Moore later singled and stole second base, leading to an RBI double from Owen Lester. Sheldon stopped the bleeding with two flyouts to end the frame.

Sheldon’s night ended there, as he pitched three innings and gave up five runs on five hits and two walks.

The Lions responded with two runs in the bottom of the third with an RBI groundout from Nate Kress and an RBI single from Tristan Prier. Young replaced Cook on the mound with two outs and struck out Edmonds to keep the one-run lead.

Each team went scoreless for the first time in the fourth, with just one Lawrence batter reaching base after being hit by a pitch.

Much like the third inning, Graves opened the top of the fifth with an extra-base hit, this time a double. Graves moved over to third on a groundout and scored on another groundout by Moore to make the score 6-4, before Brady Wollesen retired Wesley Cupps to end the inning.

Young quickly retired the Lawrence lineup in order in the bottom of the fifth, recording a pair of strikeouts and a lineout. The Firebird bats didn’t fare well in the top of the sixth, as Wollesen retired the side, including an inning-ending strikeout.

Green credited Wollesen after the game for his ability to keep the game within one to two runs. On what was making Wollesen effective on the mound, Green said it was all about mixing and landing his breaking ball.

“If he can throw that pitch for a strike, he can be effective because it tunnels out of his hand like his fastball, and then it drops off,” he said. “I thought he did a nice job of mixing pitches and working the ball in and out.”

Graves replaced Young on the mound in the top of the sixth, facing just three batters while using the help of his defense with two flyouts and a lineout.

With two outs in the top of the seventh, Graves continued his monster day with his second triple, but was stranded after a fly out.

Needing two runs to stay alive, the Lions got off to a good start in the inning with a leadoff single by Gavin Taylor, but Graves quickly shut the rally down and got the next three hitters to claim victory for Free State.

Green said he was proud of his team’s ability to bring the tying runner to the plate multiple times, and added that they need to play with “reckless abandon” going into the final week of the regular season and then playoffs.

Both teams will square off again at Hoglund Ballpark on Monday, with first pitch set for 7 p.m.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High’s Logan Harris dives safely into first base after a Free State pickoff attempt on Friday, May 9, 2025, during the City Showdown game at Lawrence High School.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Logan Sheldon prepares to fire a pitch towards the plate during the City Showdown game against Free State on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Lawrence High School.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Cayman Cook works through his windup as he throws to the plate during the City Showdown game at Lawrence High School on Friday, May 9, 2025.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence first baseman Hudson Hardesty (left) holds on Free State’s Ben Graves during the City Showdown baseball game on Friday, May 9, 2025, at Lawrence High School.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Logan Sheldon warms up before facing the Firebird line up on Friday, May 9, 2025, during the City Showdown game at Lawrence High School.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

The Free State baseball team lines up before their game against Lawrence before the City Showdown game at Lawrence High School on Friday, May 9, 2025.

photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

The Lawrence High baseball team lines up for the national anthem before taking on Free State in the City Showdown at Lawrence High School on Friday, May 9, 2025.