Prep recap: Hard-hitting Bishop Kelly softball team clinches 4A SIC regular-season title
Batting seventh in the Bishop Kelly lineup, Aspen Newman stepped to the plate for the first time Tuesday to lead off the bottom of the third inning.
Newman, a junior right fielder, smacked a solo home run over the center-field fence on the fourth pitch she faced, opening the flood gates in a 7-0 victory over Vallivue.
Opponents looking for an easy out aren’t likely to find it against the defending 4A state champions.
Junior first baseman Faith Nichols, hitting from the No. 9 spot, cranked a two-run bomb to left field an inning later, illustrating the strength of the Knights’ order from top to bottom.
It’s a big reason why the Knights (16-4, 12-0) are unbeaten in 4A Southern Idaho Conference play this season, having wrapped up the regular-season title for the second straight year with Tuesday’s win against Vallivue (14-5, 8-4).
BK is batting .419 as a team, with 44 home runs and 237 runs scored.
“I think that our team is strong all the way from one to nine, even the people on the bench,” Bishop Kelly senior Pilar Cook said. “Everybody can go in and hit at any given day, and everybody does hit on any given day. I think that’s really supporting as a pitcher, because even if I’m not pitching my best, I know that I have offense to back me up.”
Cook didn’t require much backup against the Falcons. She pitched five shutout innings while striking out eight. Nichols entered in the sixth and kept the shutout intact, fanning two and stranding four runners over the final innings.
After a scoreless first two innings, Newman got the Knights’ bats going with her home run, and by the end of the third inning BK had plated five runs in yet another dominant effort against a 4A SIC opponent.
“One thing that we really stress on our team is that there is nobody who is really superior to anyone else,” Nichols said. “On any given day, somebody could be the one that hits the home run, just because that’s who our team is.”
And the Knights won Tuesday’s game without the guidance of their head coach. Missy Nichols was out of town because of a family obligation, leaving assistant Travis Ribordy to run the show.
Ribordy said all the credit goes to the players for maintaining their composure.
“It just shows how much we trust each other, and how much she trusts us,” said Faith Nichols, who is the head coach’s daughter. “It definitely was a bit of a different vibe without her here, but we just made sure to keep up the same energy that we would, even without her being here to kind of hold the standard.”
The Knights have two regular-season games remaining before the 4A District Three Tournament. The top two teams at the district tournament advance to state, with a third team that could qualify via a play-in game. The 4A state tournament is May 20-21 at Post Falls High.
“I definitely think that we have stayed on an uphill slope all season this year, which is a little different from last year,” Faith Nichols said. “Because last year we started out really strong and kind of leveled off for a while. But this year we have kept on an uphill slope so we can peak at state.”
Owyhee 6, Capital 0: Mantha Hatzenbeller wouldn’t let Capital (15-6, 8-5 5A SIC) find its groove, as the winning pitcher struck out nine batters and allowed only two hits in the shutout victory. At the plate, she went 2-for-3 and collected an RBI. Brooklyn Schneidt helped the Storm (16-6, 10-4) with two doubles on 2-for-4 batting.
Losing pitcher Penny-Lew Barnett struck out 12 batters and allowed 10 hits in seven innings.
Skyview 8, Timberline 4: Five runs in the sixth inning propelled the undefeated Hawks (20-0, 14-0 5A SIC) to a road victory over the Wolves (16-5, 9-4). Delaney Keith and Analisa Zamora provided three hits and two RBIs each, while pitcher Taylor Brewer earned the victory with eight strikeouts in five innings.
Kaylee Lewchenko and Alyssa Wilcox led the Wolves with two hits each.
Rocky Mountain 18, Meridian 6: Nine different Grizzlies had a hit to help Rocky Mountain (12-9, 6-7 5A SIC) breeze past the Warriors (2-16, 0-13). Sofia Strickler and Savanna Henzler led the way with a combined six hits and seven RBIs.
Meridian’s Carson Irwin led the home side, going 3-for-3 with five RBIs.
Eagle 24, Boise 5: The Mustangs (12-8, 8-6 5A SIC) showed no mercy, as the away side scored a season high in runs to down Boise. Boise State commit Sydney Groves (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) and Emry Woods (2-for-2, 7 RBIs) each hit two homers to headline a 21-hit day. Hayleigh Oliver, Kaylee Vieira and Libby Dennis added three hits each.
Regan Birt led Boise (6-15, 3-11) with two hits, including a home run.
Kuna 14, Mountain View 5: Kuna (10-8-1, 7-6 5A SIC) scored nine runs in the third inning to run over the Mavericks (11-9, 7-7). Brylin Field, Gracie Nelson and Talia Jenkins each hit a home run for the Kavemen, while Ashlyn Crone pitched a complete game and allowed only five hits.
Mountain View’s Avery Norton led the home side with two RBIs on 1-for-3 hitting.
Middleton 23, Caldwell 4: Middleton (11-7, 7-4 4A SIC) scored 20 runs in the first three innings to blow out Caldwell (2-20, 1-11). Four Vikings had at least three hits, with Natalie Miklancic (three RBIs) and Joely Crider (six RBIs) collecting a home run each.
Sophia Herrera-Gallagos led the Cougars with two RBIs.
Emmett 13, Ridgevue 0: Karadyn Fuller struck out 17 and allowed just one hit to lift the Huskies (15-4-1, 9-3 4A SIC) to a shutout victory over the Warhawks (7-13-1, 5-7). Hailee Stevenson went 3-for-4 and hit two home runs.
Columbia 7, Nampa 6: A seventh-inning comeback by the Bulldogs fell just short, as Columbia (6-15, 3-9 4A SIC) used four runs in the sixth inning to down Nampa (3-15, 2-9). Savannah Schrick and Ariajna Martinez each recorded a home run, while Anna Coulombe led all batters with three hits.
Melba 36, Marsing 7: The Mustangs (16-5, 6-2 2A WIC) held on to second place in the conference with a 23-hit effort in five innings. Esther Riley was 4-for-4 and had four RBIs. Emily Thoene led the Huskies (6-10, 1-7) with three RBIs and a home run.
Cole Valley Christian 25, Vision Charter 14: Facing a 13-12 deficit in the fifth inning, the Chargers (8-7, 4-4 2A WIC) rallied to down the Golden Eagles (1-11, 0-8). Kate Crosby and Grace Wingard provided four hits each.
New Plymouth 11, Nampa Christian 1: New Plymouth’s Jewel Bell continues to dominate the pitching circle, as the Pilgrims (14-4, 7-0 2A WIC) extended their winning streak to five. Bell surrendered two hits and struck out 11 to keep New Plymouth (14-4, 7-0) atop the conference standings. Ava Shaw went 3-for-3.
Wilder 20, Idaho City 8: The Wildcats (5-10) scored 19 runs in the final three innings to put Idaho City (2-9, 1-6 1A WIC) away. Wilder’s Marissa Puga went 4-for-4 and contributed four RBIs, a double and a stolen base in the victory.
Notus 6, Rimrock 2: A battle of pitching heavyweights leaned in favor of the Pirates (12-1, 9-0 1A WIC), as Alexis Cudaback struck out 15 batters to earn the complete-game victory over Rimrock. Riley Burbank kept the Raiders (4-7, 3-4) alive with a seven-inning, 12-strikeout effort. Paige Emly had two hits and three RBIs for Notus.
Baseball
Mountain View 12, Kuna 0: The Mavericks (16-3, 13-1 5A SIC) clinched a state tournament berth and a regular-season conference title with a shutout win over the Kavemen (10-8-1, 5-8). Conner Marshall allowed just two hits over five innings. Brody Rasmussen led the attack with four RBIs on 2-for-2 batting.
Owyhee 12, Capital 4: The Storm used 14 hits from seven batters to take down the Eagles. Jack Ryan led Owyhee (13-8, 8-6 5A SIC) with two RBIs on 3-for-4 batting, while Nick McDaniel added two RBIs and a triple.
Josh Summers led Capital (9-12, 4-9) with two RBIs and a stolen base.
Borah 6, Centennial 5: A seventh-inning rally fell just short for the Patriots (9-13, 5-9 5A SIC), as Borah’s pitching duo of Jake Robinson and Tanner Knoll preserved the victory. Robinson had six strikeouts in 4-plus innings, and Knoll collected the save with three strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Zain Cozens had two hits for Centennial.
Boise 6, Eagle 1: Boise’s Cosmo Lange went 3-for-3 with three doubles to guide the Brave (9-13, 5-9 5A SIC) to a big win. Daxson Coburn pitched five innings and allowed five hits, but Lange stepped in for relief and allowed only one hit in the final two innings.
Hayden Chambers led the Mustangs (6-14, 3-11) with two hits.
Meridian 5, Rocky Mountain 3: The Warriors (2-14, 1-12 5A SIC) scored three runs in the final inning to snatch the upset victory over the Grizzlies (18-4, 11-3). Mikkael Orosco and Anthony Rasmussen each had two hits for Meridian. Conor Christiansen had a 3-for-4 day for Rocky Mountain.
Middleton 10, Caldwell 0: The conference-leading Vikings (18-2, 9-1 4A SIC) notched their sixth shutout of the season with a five-inning victory over the Cougars. Starting pitcher Levi Borge earned the win. Caldwell (3-17, 1-11) got two hits from Sam Yeakley.
Columbia 3, Nampa 1: Columbia (14-6, 8-3 4A SIC) locked itself in a three-way tie for second place in the conference in a defensive battle with the Bulldogs (3-12, 2-8). Starting pitcher Sam Wirtz pitched five innings and surrendered only four hits. JT Penrod led all batters with a 2-for-3 day and an RBI.
Ridgevue 4, Emmett 3: An Izaiah Stewart-Kasper single brought in Nick Britton to help the Warhawks (13-4, 9-3 4A SIC) win a walk-off thriller over the Huskies (6-14, 4-7). Ridgevue’s Jordan McIntyre pitched four innings in relief, allowing no hits and striking out three to earn the win.
Bishop Kelly 8, Vallivue 0: Bishop Kelly pitcher Sam Dempsey stole the show, striking out five and allowing only two hits in a complete-game victory over the Falcons (9-13, 3-9). Cooper Cammann led the Knights (16-3, 9-3) with three hits, while Jackson Hatch provided a game-high three RBIs.
Cole Valley Christian 10, Vision Charter 6: Both sides committed five errors, but Cole Valley Christian (8-10, 4-4 2A WIC) had Noah Grimm keep the home side at bay. The winning pitcher gave up only two hits in 4.2 innings. He also had a 2-for-2 effort with three stolen bases.
Nampa Christian 16, New Plymouth 1: A 10-run first inning would be more than enough for the Trojans (21-2, 8-0 2A WIC). Dane Bradshaw, Landon Cheney and Daiden Glenn provided three RBIs each, with pitcher Josh Tiersma striking out eight and giving up two hits.
Melba 7, Marsing 5: Melba (13-6, 6-2 2A WIC) broke a seventh-inning tie with two runs to defeat Marsing (12-6, 3-5). Four Mustangs recorded two hits, with Trace Stimpson striking out five Huskies in the final two innings to earn the victory.
Horseshoe Bend 18-19, Greenleaf 4-3: The Mustang (4-7, 4-2 1A WIC) offense exploded with a 10-run fifth inning to take game one of the doubleheader. Leadoff hitter Decker Larson went 3-for-3 and added an RBI and four stolen bases. He also got the win on the mound. Jayden Wood led the Grizzlies (1-7, 1-6) with a 3-for-3, two-RBI effort. In the second game, Horseshoe Bend (5-7, 5-2, 1A WIC) scored 14 runs in the first inning.
Wilder 16, Idaho City 10: Wilder (9-7, 5-7 1A WIC) scored five runs in the fifth inning to take care of Idaho City (0-12, 0-8). Adrian Miramontes went 3-for-5 with six RBIs.
This story was originally published April 27, 2022 at 11:17 AM.
