Free State baseball rallies past Olathe Northwest in extra innings
Ben Graves’ ninth-inning walk forced in Ferris Dinkel and pushed Free State past Olathe Northwest, 9-8, keeping the defending 6A champions alive.
Free State’s season survived on a full-count walk and a steady hand in the most volatile corner of postseason baseball. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Ben Graves drew the walk that forced in Ferris Dinkel and delivered a 9-8 extra-inning victory over Olathe Northwest in the Class 6A quarterfinal on Tuesday, May 26.
The win mattered beyond the final score. Free State entered the state tournament as the No. 2 seed with a 24-4 record, while Olathe Northwest came in at No. 7 at 15-12. In a game that swung through multiple late rallies, the Firebirds showed the kind of composure that has defined Mike Hill’s program, protecting a championship standard under the pressure of one of the state’s tightest elimination settings.
That standard is not new in Lawrence. KSHSAA Covered identified Graves, Zane Shaw, Nathan Young, Ryker Mahnke and Owen Lester as key pieces for a Free State team that was defending its Class 6A title, with previous state championships in 2006, 2015 and 2025. The quarterfinal victory lifted the Firebirds to 25-4 and advanced them to the semifinals, extending a postseason run that began with regional routs over Liberal, 11-0, and Topeka High, 15-0.
The emotional weight showed up in the aftermath, too. The photo gallery from the game captured a dugout celebration and a dogpile after the final out, a reminder that this was not just another spring win for a team that has made a habit of arriving in June with state-title expectations. KSHSAA’s state capsules noted that this year’s appearance was Free State’s eighth straight trip to the tournament and 16th overall.
Free State carried that momentum into Wichita. On May 29 at Wichita State University’s Eck Stadium, Graves threw a complete-game, 106-pitch gem in a 3-2 semifinal win over Shawnee Mission South, sending the Firebirds back to the Class 6A championship game for the second straight year. For Lawrence, the quarterfinal escape was the clearest proof yet that this team can still turn pressure into a path forward.
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