photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior catcher Andrew Zimmerschied gets a hit against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

The Free State baseball team (9-1) lost its first game of the season to Saint Thomas Aquinas, 5-1, at home on Friday afternoon.

In a low scoring affair, the little things made a big difference as the Firebirds struggled to produce with runners on, and two costly errors allowed the Saints to keep innings alive.

Cayman Cook got the start on the mound for the Firebirds and gave up a run two batters in as an RBI single by the Saints drove in the first run of the game. Cook stopped the bleeding there, getting two flyouts and a strikeout to strand a runner on first.

It didn’t take long for the Free State offense to match Aquinas. Ryker Mahnke started the bottom of the first with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Cole Wright and was driven in two batters later on an RBI single by Finn Moore.

Cook found himself in more trouble in the top of the second after giving up a leadoff walk and a single but kept the Saints off the board, getting two flyouts and some help from his defense as Ben Graves made a diving play at second base to end the inning.

Cook limited the Aquinas offense to just two hits and one run in his two innings of work.

The Firebirds only managed one runner in the bottom of the second with a two-out single by Owen Lester.

Nathan Young came in to pitch for Free State in the top of the third inning. With the help of the defense, Young retired all three batters he faced in the inning with a groundout.

The next chance for the Firebirds to get back on the scoreboard came in the bottom of the third as Mahnke got on base with a single. A wild pitch moved him to second before a nice play by the Saints’ defense on a groundout kept Mahnke at third base, where he was ultimately stranded after a groundout ended the Firebirds’ chance to take the lead.

Pitching by both teams continued to dominate as neither offense found much success in the fourth inning, although Free State did get a runner on with a single from Andrew Zimmerschied.

Aquinas found some success in the top of the fifth. A two-out single kept the inning alive before a Free State error brought in the go-ahead run. The Saints extended their lead with a two-RBI single and another RBI single to make the score 5-1.

Free State continued to struggle with runners on base in the bottom fifth, stranding Charlie Peters after he got on with a one-out single.

Finn Moore pitched the sixth inning for the Firebirds, giving up a hit while striking out the side. In the home half of the inning, Graves started with a hit by pitch but was stranded at first as the next three hitters couldn’t reach base.

Graves was the final pitcher for the Firebirds, striking out two batters while getting the last out with a flyout in his one inning of work.

With three outs left to work with, Lester started the bottom of the seventh by hitting a perfectly placed ball down the left field line for a double. The Saints’ pitching stayed steady, allowing no more damage in finishing off the win.

The Firebirds will remain at home on Tuesday, taking on Shawnee Mission West.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior pitcher Isaiah Wiedeman and teammates meet Saint Thomas Aquinas players after the Firebirds fell short high-fives after falling short 5-1 on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State sophomore Owen Lester celebrates after reaching second base against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Sophomore Owen Lester records a double during Free State’s game against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Sophomore pitcher Finn Moore works from the mound during Free State’s matchup against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Sophomore Finn Moore delivers a pitch during Free State’s matchup against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Charlie Peters hustles out of the box following a hit against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Nathan Young delivers a pitch during the Firebirds’ matchup against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Nathan Young winds up in the early innings of Friday’s game against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State sophomore outfielder Ryker Mahnke sprints toward first base after hitting the ball against Saint Thomas Aquinas on Friday, April 11, 2025.