State baseball roundup: Fruitland gets upset win in 3A, Nampa Christian rolls in 2A
The small-school Idaho baseball state tournaments got underway Thursday at various Treasure Valley sites, with several Southwest Idaho teams in action.
[Related: 5A to 1A baseball state tournament scores, brackets]
3A STATE TOURNAMENT
Fruitland 8, Kimberly 3: The No. 7 Grizzlies (15-10) overcame a 3-1 deficit by scoring seven runs over two innings to knock off No. 2 Kimberly (20-4-1) at Northwest Nazarene University.
Fruitland’s Jace Mordhorst and Landen Mendive each had two RBIs, and Landon Bushong had two hits, including a double. Zane Bidwell got the win, striking out seven while surrendering just four hits.
Fruitland will face the winner of Thursday night’s Weiser-Homedale game in Friday’s semifinals at 7 p.m.
Weiser 12, Homedale 11: Nursing a one-run lead with the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, Weiser’s Brock Spencer induced a fly ball to center field to end Homedale’s rally and secure the reigning state champs a spot in the semifinals.
No. 7 Homedale (18-11) plated three runs in the final inning to push conference rival and No. 2 Weiser (21-4). But an early lead built by Brett Spencer’s two doubles and four RBIs held.
Jack Burke also went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Weiser. Dillon Fine led Homedale by going 2-for-3 with four RBIs.
2A STATE TOURNAMENT
Nampa Christian 7, Challis-Mackay 0: Zach Merritt struck out seven and allowed just two hits in five innings to guide the defending champs into the semifinals.
A six-run third inning was more than enough for the Trojans (26-2). Josh Tiersma had two hits, an RBI and two steals, and Dane Bradshaw was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a double and two steals for the winners. Challis-Mackay leadoff hitter RJ Philips had the only hits for the Vikings (10-10-1).
Nampa Christian hosts Malad (13-6-1) in the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m.
Melba 9, Orofino 0: Trace Stimpson struck out 11 in a six-hit shutout to lead the Mustangs. He also went 1-for-3 with an RBI to aid his own cause.
Melba nursed a 1-0 lead until it broke loose with eight runs in the fifth. Stimpson started the rally with an RBI single. Parken Hansen went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Cameron Vail finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Melba faces Firth (19-5) in the semifinals at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Nampa Christian.
1A STATE TOURNAMENT
Troy 4, North Star Charter 2: A North Star Charter wild pitch and Kaiden Strunk RBI in the sixth inning produced the runs that broke a 2-2 tie and led Troy (13-6) to an upset over the Huskies (21-3) at Capital High School.
North Star pitchers Daniel Kormylo and Evan Mixson combined for 11 strikeouts and allowed just two hits, but the Huskies committed seven errors.
Winning pitcher Cameron House allowed just four hits and struck out 11 for the Trojans.
Prairie 10, Rimrock 9: The Pirates (12-10) rallied for two runs in the seventh inning to upend Rimrock (11-14). Reece Shears stole home to tie the game, and then Eli Hinds hit a walk-off single to right field.
Clearwater Valley 16, Garden Valley 2: No details were reported.
This story was originally published May 19, 2022 at 10:08 PM.