photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State's Ryker Mahnke celebrates as he scores a run against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

The Free State baseball team had to overcome an early four-run deficit on Saturday and ultimately hung on to an 11-6 win over Harrisburg High School of South Dakota to improve to 5-0 on the season.

Head coach Mike Hill said that despite the result, it was “pretty ugly all the way around.”

“We did not play well, honestly, in any facet of the game,” he said. “We just didn’t play the way that we’re supposed to play the game and we got away with it today.”

There were bright spots in the lineup, such as junior left fielder Ferris Dinkel, who went 2-for-3 and opened the scoring for the Firebirds with an RBI double in the second inning.

“He’s a kid that’s just continuing to get his feet wet,” Hill said. “His bat has been his tool during his two-plus years in the program, and he’s trying to round out his game, and I think he will do that.”

Senior Ben Graves earned the win, tossing five innings in relief and allowing three hits, one run, and one walk while striking out seven hitters.

“That’s what he does,” Hill said. “He was a starter as a freshman, and then the last couple years, we pretty much just used him in a closing role, so that’s the most he’s thrown in a couple of years.”

The Tigers opened the scoring early, driving in the first run on an RBI single four batters into the game. After starting pitcher Darin Fehr loaded the bases with a walk, another run scored on a hit-by-pitch before Fehr escaped the jam with his third strikeout of the inning.

At the plate, Free State went down quickly in the first with two strikeouts and a groundout.

Senior pitcher Kyle Sikes came in to relieve Fehr after a leadoff walk in the second and got two quick outs before Harrisburg added two more runs on a passed ball and a double to make its lead 4-0.

Junior Owen Lester reached on an error and scored on Dinkel’s double for the Firebirds’ first run in the bottom of the second.

“We were down, we were in need of a hit, so I went up there thinking I might get something going,” Dinkel said. “He gave me the right pitch, so I just poked it over the left fielder.”

Senior Zane Shaw walked and senior Nathan Young drove in two more runs on a single, before the Tigers got out of the inning holding a 4-3 advantage.

Harrisburg got its first two batters on base in the third, ending Sikes’ day on the mound. Graves entered in relief and allowed a sacrifice fly but got a lineout and a strikeout to end the inning.

Both offenses went scoreless their next time up before Free State scored four runs in the fourth. It started with a single by Shaw and a walk by Young. After the next two batters struck out, Mahnke tied the game with a triple and scored on another triple by Graves for the Firebirds’ first lead of the game. Graves later scored on a delayed steal by junior Finn Moore to make the score 7-5.

The Firebirds added to their lead in the fifth, starting with a single by Dinkel. After a stolen base, Dinkel advanced on an error and scored on a double by sophomore Carter Laubach. Laubach scored the second run of the inning on an error by the Tigers’ shortstop.

The rally continued with a single by Mahnke to drive in senior Ryan Vigna before Harrisburg ultimately got out of the inning.

Graves allowed just a single in the sixth while getting two strikeouts to keep the score at 10-5 before Free State added to its lead once again. Dinkel and Shaw each singled to start the inning, and Young hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Dinkel.

The Tigers made a late charge in the seventh, scoring an RBI single before Graves closed out the game with a strikeout.

The Firebirds will open Sunflower League play on Tuesday at Olathe South before returning to Lawrence for their first home league game on Thursday against Shawnee Mission East.

“(The first five games) showed us what we need to work on, but I feel really confident about us,” Dinkel said.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Ben Graves dives to score a run against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Ben Graves gets ready to dive toward home against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s players stand for the national anthem prior to the game against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Ryker Mahnke bats against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Kyle Sikes pitches against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Ryan Vigna catches the ball against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Eli Berns, left, high-fives teammate Nathan Young against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Owen Lester runs home against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Henry Wiley/Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Owen Lester catches the ball against Harrisburg at Lawrence Free State High School on Saturday, March 28, 2026, in Lawrence.