For the eighth straight time, Free State baseball is one of eight schools on its way to the state tournament.

The Firebirds (24-4) punched their ticket to state by taking care of 10th-seeded Topeka/Cair Paravel in Tuesday’s regional championship game, 15-0 in three innings.

“That’s what we play here for,” senior Nathan Young said. “We play here to win; we play to the standard… Anything but holding up the trophy at the end is a failure for us.”

For the past few weeks, head coach Mike Hill has emphasized to the team how important it is to approach every game and practice the same way.

Tuesday provided a different challenge in that the regional championship was originally scheduled following Monday’s semifinal game. Even with the unexpected start time, the mindset was still the same.

“We just had to come play our game,” senior Ben Graves said, “and play our brand, and you know, we came out here ready to go with a lot of energy, and that’s what happens when we come out ready to play.”

Young got the start on the mound and faced the minimum number of batters through three innings of work, striking out five of the nine he faced.

“He did what he always does,” Hill said. “He dominates the strike zone and mixes it up. (He’s) not afraid to pitch to contact and that’s why he’s going to have a nice future.”

Young retired the side on just three batters to start the game, inducing a lineout and a flyout while also striking out a hitter in his first inning of work.

Ryker Mahnke led off the bottom of the first with a five-pitch walk and stole second before scoring the game’s first run on a single by Eli Berns. Berns advanced to second on an error on the same hit and scored on a groundout.

The inning continued with a walk issued to Owen Lester before he came home on a triple to center field by Finn Moore, and Moore became the fourth run on a single by Zane Shaw.

“I told the guys during warmups to throw the first punch, and I got to go out in the second with the four-nothing lead,” Young said. “(I) was able to just trust the defense and let it roll behind me.”

Young made quick work of the Trojans’ lineup in the second with two strikeouts to retire the side in order. The leadoff hitter reached base again in the bottom of the second when Carter Laubach hit a single. His courtesy runner, Donnie Krehbiel, stole second and scored on a double by Mahnke.

A few mistakes by the Trojans brought in a few more runs as a balk brought home Mahnke, Berns scored on a passed ball, and the second balk of the inning plated Moore.

The Firebirds retired the side in order again in the top of the third as Young struck out two more hitters to put his total at five.

Free State was handed six free passes while also reaching base via two errors and two singles in the bottom of the third to put up seven runs. The game ended as Karson Bowers made a pinch-hit appearance and laced a single to left field to drive in Dinkel, sending the Firebirds into a dogpile near first base.

While the Firebirds know the state tournament brings out the best of the best teams in the state, they feel confident in their preparation and approach in order to hoist the state championship trophy for the second straight year.

“(We need to) just keep working on hitting and the emphasis on it that we need to have,” Graves said. “We know we’re going to play good defense and pitch good, so that’s what we’re going to focus on this week.”

Added Mahnke: “We’re just going to have to come in ready to roll. There are going to be some good teams out there, good arms. We’re going to have to come swinging the sticks, mentally locked in… It’s all about that first knockout punch, which is very important for us.”

The state quarterfinals will take place Tuesday at a site to be determined. If Free State is to advance past the quarterfinals, the final two rounds will be played May 28 and 29 at Eck Stadium in Wichita.