WICHITA — In his first pitching start of the season, Free State senior Ben Graves did not disappoint.

The Oral Roberts commit tossed a complete-game, 106-pitch effort to advance the Firebirds to their second consecutive state championship game, as they defeated Shawnee Mission South 3-2 on Friday at Wichita State’s Eck Stadium.

“That kid that was out there tonight is a big-time gamer,” head coach Mike Hill said of Graves. “That’s not a term I like to use very often, but that’s exactly what he is.”

In total, Graves allowed just five hits across his seven innings of work, allowing the two runs and walking just one hitter while striking out five.

After committing an uncharacteristic six errors in Tuesday’s quarterfinal against Olathe Northwest, the Firebird defense responded with a clean game, making multiple key plays behind Graves’ back.

“That’s how we play right there,” Graves said. “We did what we needed to win, and you know, it feels a lot better having a cleaner game compared to Tuesday, but you know, I’m just so proud of this group.”

Offensively, the Firebirds struggled throughout, scratching across just three runs on three hits. All three runs were strung together in the third inning and proved to be just enough to move on.

“We made our one inning count,” Hill said. “The crooked inning, ours was three and (Shawnee Mission South’s) was two, and that was really the only difference in the game.”

The Raiders put a runner on base with one out in the top of the first after a single by Cale Fossett before Graves came back with a strikeout and groundout to end the inning. The Firebirds also put just one runner on after a leadoff walk by Mahnke before Shawnee Mission South starter Luke McKenna struck out the next three batters.

Another batter reached base for Shawnee Mission South in the top of the second before Graves retired three straight to keep the game scoreless. McKenna kept the Firebirds hitless after two innings, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts in the home half of the inning.

For the third straight inning, Graves stranded a Raider at second before the Firebirds were finally able to record a hit. Nathan Young led off the bottom of the inning with a first-pitch double down the right field line for the team’s first hit, then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Carter Laubach.

On the first pitch of the next at-bat, Mahnke hit a ground-ball single to left field to bring in the first run. After a stolen base, Mahnke scored from second on a triple by Graves, and courtesy runner Charlie Griffith came across for the third run on an error that put Owen Lester on base.

“It’s always important, I think, in the state tournament to play in front,” Hill said, “Because there is a little bit of pressure, so if you can get a lead, that puts you in an enviable position.”

Shawnee Mission South responded rather quickly with a leadoff double. After a groundout moved the runner to third, Atticus McGeeney hit a second double to drive in the Raiders’ first run of the contest before scoring on the very next pitch after a single by Everett Sims.

Graves buckled down and kept the lead intact, getting the next two hitters via a flyout and groundout to end the top of the fourth.

The fourth inning ended up being the last time Graves allowed a baserunner, as he went on to retire the next nine hitters.

“He looked tired, a little fatigued; he’s been a closer,” Hill said. “And here we are asking him to throw 106 (pitches), and that’s guts.”

Facing reliever Jackson Barker, the Firebirds went down in order in the bottom of the fourth before Graves returned the favor by inducing three flyouts on 10 pitches in the top of the fifth.

The next time up to bat for both teams was the same story, with both Graves and Barker facing just three batters as the Firebirds led 3-2 after the top of the sixth.

Graves was hit on the first pitch of the bottom of the sixth, putting an immediate runner on base for Free State. Griffith, running for Graves, stayed put at first as Barker induced a popup then struck out the next two hitters to end the bottom of the sixth.

With his pitch count creeping toward the maximum of 105, starting the seventh at 92 pitches, Graves needed 14 pitches to strike out the side in order, sending the Firebirds to the state championship game for the second year in a row.

“I told coach (Hill), ‘Hey, this is my game, and I’m going to finish it,'” Graves said. “He believes in me, and you know, I’ve been here long enough to where I’m his guy… I can’t describe how I feel right now.”

Free State will defend its state championship against a familiar opponent in the form of No. 5-seed Washburn Rural, as the Firebirds defeated the Junior Blues 4-1 in last season’s state quarterfinals.

To get to Saturday’s championship game, Washburn Rural defeated top-seeded Maize 6-2 earlier on Friday.

“We’re going to have to play equally well,” Hill said. “Coach (Jay) Mastin does such a fantastic job, and I was really impressed with what they did today versus Maize. Their ability to swing the bat, their ability to pitch, all of it. I mean, if you’re here, you’re good, and they are good, and it’s going to take a very good effort on our part to win a state championship.”

Added Graves: “We’ve been saying all day and all week, ‘Leave nothing out there. Leave nothing in the tank.’ We’re going to take the same mindset into tomorrow and hopefully score a lot of runs and go win another one.”