He’s just a sophomore. He fired a shutout to keep Eagle’s district title hopes alive
It didn’t go down as the world’s prettiest shutout. But the row of zeros on the scoreboard got the job done.
Eagle sophomore pitcher Caleb Zawadzki blanked Middleton 3-0 in Game 2 of the 5A District Three baseball championship series Wednesday, sending the series to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday back in Middleton.
The 16-year-old danced in and out of trouble all evening. The Vikings put runners on base in six of seven innings, five of them courtesy of walks. But Zawadzki worked his way out of the jam each time and kept hanging goose eggs on the scoreboard.
The final result: A three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.
“Pressure is a privilege,” Eagle catcher Jimmy Flynn said. “He wants that pressure. He always steps up.”
The performance added another stellar outing to a breakout year for the sophomore. He led the Mustangs in wins and ERA as a freshman last season. But he’s taken it to another level this spring.
Wednesday’s outing boosted his record to 5-1 while lowering his ERA to 0.64. He’s yet to allow more than one run in any of his eight appearances.
Middleton worked the count Wednesday as Zawadzki worked to find his command, putting three runners in scoring position. But Zawadzki never panicked and found the answer each time, stranding eight runners on base.
“I just had to bear down, trust my stuff, trust the team behind me,” Zawadzki said. “And just compete.”
Eagle’s bats did just enough to scratch out the win, taking advantage of a few Middleton miscues to score three runs on a fielder’s choice and a pair of throwing errors.
Middleton pitcher Ian Lenius walked the bases loaded in the first inning, then appeared to induce an inning-ending, double-play ground ball. But shortstop Boomer Collins sailed the throw to first base, allowing Adam Fulton to cross the plate on the fielder’s choice and Bryson Shea to come around on the error.
Eagle tacked on one more run in the fourth on another tailor-made, inning-ending double play. Fulton ripped a hard live drive to Collins at shortstop with the bases loaded. Collins snared it out of the air, then fired a throw into right field while trying to double off a runner at second.
That allowed Declan Ragan to tag up and score from third before Middleton scrambled to double off Zach Johansen, who didn’t tag up at first base in the confusion.
But they don’t ask. They ask how many. And Eagle found a way to claw out just enough runs to saddle Utah commit Ian Lenius with his first loss of the season.
“You take them how you can get them,” Eagle coach Scott Deck said with a laugh. “I think part of it is — and I think both teams can attest to this — is just putting pressure on defenses.
“The last time we faced (Lenius), he struck out a lot of guys and they didn’t have to play a lot of defense.”
Both teams have already clinched their berths in next week’s state tournament. But Middleton can clinch back-to-back district titles with a win Wednesday, or Eagle could claim its first district crown since 2016.
3A BASEBALL: HOMEDALE REPEATS
Homedale won its second straight 3A District Three Tournament championship — and third in the last four seasons — with a 4-1 victory over Fruitland on Wednesday at Homedale High.
Utah signee Dillon Fine improved to 11-0 on the mound, going 6 ⅔ innings while allowing one unearned run on two hits with 14 strikeouts. The outing pushed him past 100 strikeouts for the third straight season.
His fraternal twin, Payton Fine, pitched the final out to close out the win.
Fruitland (17-6) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning, but the Trojans (21-4) plated three runs in their half of the inning, highlighted by Lukas Hall’s two-run double.
Both teams advance to next week’s state tournament on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa.
3A SOFTBALL: HOMEDALE PUSHES STREAK TO 10
Homedale collected its 10th consecutive 3A District Three Tournament championship thanks to an 11-1, five-inning victory over Weiser on Wednesday at Homedale Middle School.
First baseman Zayne Hall led the way with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, including five RBIs. Hall connected on a two-run single in the first inning and launched a two-run home run to center field in the fourth inning.
Dani Sitts earned the win in the circle for the Trojans (16-5). She allowed three hits and one unearned run with 10 strikeouts.
Ellie Shirts paced Weiser (14-8) with two hits from the leadoff spot.
Both teams advance to next week’s state tournament at Moscow High.
This story was originally published May 8, 2024 at 10:10 PM.
