photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Nathan Young starts on the mound against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

Free State baseball seniors Nathan Young and Zane Shaw have spent most of their high school careers solely on the mound as pitchers, but with openings in the lineup to start the season, both have taken on larger roles on the offensive side.

The duo displayed their two-way capabilities on Friday, combining for six innings on the mound and three hits with five runs offensively to help the Firebirds to a 10-2 win over Sioux Falls-Jefferson.

“It’s a different role for them, all they had to do was pitch last year, and we were pretty deep,” head coach Mike Hill said. “They’re good players, they just haven’t had a chance to play yet.”

Young got the start on the mound and tossed three scoreless innings, allowing just three walks, and earned the win. Offensively, Young went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored.

“(Nathan’s) a feel pitcher and a control pitcher, and it just wasn’t quite there that first inning, and then he got it,” Hill said. “He showed us last year in the state semis how good he actually is, and I have no doubt that’s the level he’ll be at.”

Shaw, meanwhile, started the game in right field and went 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and three runs scored.

“I’ve always been a hitter, I never felt like a (pitcher only),” Shaw said. “It’s fun to be back there in the field, not just worrying about pitching all the time.”

Through the first 2 1/2 innings of the game, neither team recorded a hit, and both starting pitchers allowed multiple walks as the game remained scoreless heading into the bottom of the third.

Jefferson starting pitcher Everett Salonen kept the Firebird offense off balance through his first two innings of work with a two-pitch mix of fastball and changeup.

“He was pretty good at locating his fastball,” center fielder Ryker Mahnke said. “He had some good tail. That was a really good, quality arm, so, I mean, it was really good to see that early in the season.”

Added Hill: “That’s a quality arm we saw. That kid would certainly be a viable starter in our league.”

Mahnke provided the first hit of the afternoon with a triple over the right fielder’s head with one out in the third inning, allowing the offense to start rolling from there.

“I knew once we got back to the top of the order, I could get something started,” Mahnke said. “I really just waited for my pitch and I executed.”

Mahnke scored the first run of the game, beating a throw home on a fielder’s choice, and another triple by second baseman Finn Moore allowed shortstop Ben Graves to score.

Shaw took over for Young on the mound in the fourth inning, retiring the side in order with a strikeout in his first inning of work.

Shaw worked three innings on the mound, allowing two hits and two runs (one earned), while striking out four batters.

“I felt good,” Shaw said of his outing on the mound. “Especially (the) first couple innings, I was getting swings and misses, not as much as in the third, but still soft contact, so that’s what we want.”

Shaw began the home half of the fourth by being hit by a pitch, and Young extended the lead to 3-0 with a triple to score Eli Berns, who was running for Shaw. After a groundout, Young scored on a single by first baseman Ryan Vigna to extend the lead to four.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Shaw once again kick-started a rally with a single, followed by a double by Young. Shaw scored on a fielding error, while Young scored on a single. Mahnke extended the Firebirds’ lead to 8-0 with his second triple of the game, scoring Vigna and catcher Carter Laubach.

Jefferson put an end to Free State’s combined no-hit bid with an infield single by Ben Jacobson, and a walk put runners at first and second. After a strikeout by Shaw, a wild pitch moved both runners, and the Cavaliers scored their first run on an infield single.

A second run scored on a groundout, but Shaw struck out his fourth batter to end the inning with Free State holding an 8-2 advantage.

The Firebirds were able to get both runs back, with sacrifice flies by Young and Laubach scoring left fielder Ferris Dinkel and Shaw after both drew walks to begin the inning.

Graves took over on the mound in the seventh, allowing just one baserunner on a two-out single, and finished off the game with a lineout.

The Firebirds, now 2-0 on the season, will be back in action Thursday at 4:30 p.m., hosting Sioux Falls-O’Gorman to begin a three-game week.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Ferris Dinkel fist bumps his teammate during the game against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State finishes up the half inning against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State lines up for the national anthem before the game against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Owen Lester fist bumps his teammate during the game against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State junior Owen Lester lays out to tag the runner against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Kyle Sikes attempts to make a play on the runner against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Zane Shaw waits for the pitch against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Nathan Young starts on the mound against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Nathan Young fist bumps teammate Owen Lester against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Ben Graves runs to third base against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Ben Graves dives in safely to second base against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.

photo by: Chance Parker/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior Ryan Vigna attempts to make a play on the runner against Sioux Falls-Jefferson on Friday, March 20, 2026.