He hoped to make varsity this year. His shutout led Mountain View to a district title
Conner Marshall didn’t play a single varsity inning last year. So he started the year with a modest goal — to make the varsity squad.
It’s safe to say he exceeded that goal.
The Mountain View right-hander fired a three-hit shutout Wednesday at Rocky Mountain, leading the Mavericks to a 6-0 victory and a sweep of the 5A District Three Tournament’s best-of-three championship series.
The victory added to an already stunning breakout season, boosting the sophomore’s record to 4-0 and dropping his ERA to 0.42.
Not bad for someone just trying to make the team.
“Being a sophomore on varsity, it can be a tough spot,” Marshall said. “But whenever you’re here with all your friends, it doesn’t matter what grade you’re in. Everyone has the same job that they want to get done.”
Marshall started Wednesday with a seemingly impossible job. He had to follow fellow Mountain View (21-3) sophomore Will Grizzle, who threw a four-hit shutout in Game 1 of the championship series.
But Marshall made quick work of the Rocky Mountain (20-6) lineup, retiring the first 10 batters he faced. Only one runner reached second base, and Marshall needed just 87 pitches before the Mavericks stormed the field.
Grizzle entered the season as a known quantity for Mountain View after an impressive freshman campaign. But Marshall was a question mark. He said he didn’t know whether he’d make the varsity team or spend the year swinging between it and junior varsity.
Mountain View coach Matt Rasmussen said Marshall impressed last summer and in winter workouts. Live, varsity games remain a different matter, though.
But Marshall kept dominating in each opportunity he received, until the Mavericks handed him the ball with the second district title in program history on the line Wednesday.
“It’s a good spot to be when you have two sophomores that are fearless, for one,” Rasmussen said. “But it’s more than just talent, right? You have to have good arms and good poise. But they have this attitude when they get on the mound, and they believe they can beat anybody they face.”
Marshall may have come as a surprise to the rest of the Southern Idaho Conference. But Mountain View senior center fielder Brody Rasmussen said he didn’t surprise the Mavericks.
“I had high expectations for Conner,” said Brody Rasmussen, who doubled twice Wednesday. “In winter bullpens, he shoved it against every one of our hitters, including me.”
The sweep sends Mountain View into the 5A state tournament as the favorite on paper. The Mavericks, who have won 21 of their past 22 games, are the No. 1 seed and open against the yet-to-be-determined No. 8 seed at 10 a.m. May 19 at The College of Idaho’s Wolfe Field.
But Rocky Mountain looms as the No. 2 seed, setting up a possible rematch in the finals. The Grizzlies open against the No. 7 seed at 4 p.m. May 19.
Both teams clinched their state tournament berths and seeds before this week’s championship series, as Idaho began seeding its state tournaments this year via MaxPreps computer rankings. The rankings closed at the end of the regular season, making the district championship series a battle for bragging rights.
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 10:55 PM.
