9 Boise-area baseball teams win regional titles, clinch spots at state tournament
A dramatic Saturday saw nine Treasure Valley baseball teams clinch their spots in next week’s state tournaments, including three who took the long route.
Owyhee (6A), Mountain View (6A) and Skyview (5A) all needed to win three straight elimination games Saturday to extend their season. And all three proved themselves up to the task, sweeping their way into the next round.
Below are all the matchups for the new four-team, double-elimination state tournaments and how each Treasure Valley team qualified. All state tournament seeds are based on MaxPreps rankings prior to the regional playoffs.
IDAHO BASEBALL STATE TOURNAMENT MATCHUPS, SCHEDULE
All first-round games are Thursday.
CLASS 6A (link to bracket)
At Memorial Stadium, Garden City
No. 2 Middleton (20-4) vs. No. 3 Coeur d’Alene (19-5), 4 p.m.
No. 1 Owyhee (26-2) vs. No. 4 Mountain View (21-10), 7 p.m
CLASS 5A (link to bracket)
At Wolfe Field, College of Idaho, Caldwell
No. 2 Twin Falls (24-6) vs. No. 3 Vallivue (25-3), 4 p.m.
No. 1 Bonneville (24-3) vs. No. 4 Skyview (19-6-1), 7 p.m.
CLASS 4A (link to bracket)
At Melaleuca Field, Idaho Falls
No. 2 Cole Valley Christian (23-5) vs. No. 3 Marsh Valley (25-1), 4 p.m.
No. 1 Fruitland (26-0) vs. No. 4 Sugar-Salem (19-4), 7 p.m.
CLASS 3A (link to bracket)
At Rodeo Park, Nampa
No. 2 Marsing (18-6) vs. No. 3 Nampa Christian (19-5-1), 4 p.m.
No. 1 Orofino (23-3) vs. No. 4 Malad (22-6), 7 p.m.
CLASS 2A (link to bracket)
At Orofino High
No. 2 Kendrick (18-5) vs. No. 3 Clearwater Valley (18-11), 4 p.m. PT
No. 1 Potlatch (20-3) vs. No. 4 Troy (15-10), 7 p.m. PT
6A BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
[Related: Full 6A regional bracket, scores]
OWYHEE STORMS BACK FOR REGIONAL TITLE: The three-time defending state champs saw their season put on life support Friday after a 5-0 upset loss to Eagle. That meant the Storm had to win three games Saturday, including two over Eagle, just to make it to state.
But top-ranked Owyhee ran that gauntlet, racking up three straight one-run victories to return to next week’s state tournament at Memorial Field.
“We don’t even play doubleheaders in our conference, so to play two games is asking a lot,” Owyhee coach Matt Rasmussen said. “To get a third one on top of that, that’s a long day.
“But I don’t think any of these guys are ready to be done or were ready to go home.”
Owyhee scratched and clawed its way to each win, relying on an assortment of timely hitting and base running to eke out each win.
The Storm started the day with a 6-5 win over Capital. Owyhee trailed 5-3 entering the fifth before Christian Zannitto tied the game with a sacrifice fly. Cohen Cole brought home the winning run in the sixth when he took third base on a wild pitch, then scurried home after an errant throw.
Owyhee pulled another rabbit out of the hat in a 4-3 win over Eagle to force the decisive if-necessary game in the double-elimination tournament. Keagan Kelly, who tore his ACL in the offseason, came off the bench in the sixth inning to pinch hit. He laced a line drive into right field, which took a wild bounce and scooted past Eagle right fielder Jack Swanstrom to bring home the tying and winning runs.
Knotted at 2-2 in the decisive game, Owyhee returned to textbook small ball to bring home the run that clinched its trip to state. Matt Robertson led off the fifth inning with an infield single, stole second and moved to third on a fielder’s choice. Cade Walker then brought him home with a sacrifice fly to right, and Owyhee pitcher Bryce Tam shut down any Eagle rally.
“There’s a lot of guys that have been a part of (multiple state titles) and can’t contribute like they’d like to,” Rasmussen said. “But they’re still in the dugout, and they know what it takes to win.
“It’s a good culture. These guys believe in each other. And they never, ever think they’re out of the game.
“That’s something you can’t teach.”
Heath Sasser-Gunson and Tam both recorded complete-game victories for the Storm. Sasser-Gunson surrendered three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out seven, while Tam held Eagle to two runs (none earned) on three hits while striking out four.
Tam only got better as the evening wore on, retiring the final 12 batters in a row and recording all four of his strikeouts.
“I’m not going to lie — I was struggling a little bit,” Tam said. “I didn’t have any of my stuff, so I was just out there competing.”
Andrew Palfreyman topped the box score for Eagle on Saturday, finishing the day 3-for-5 as the Mustangs ended their season at 15-13.
MIDDLETON ADVANCES TO STATE: Ian Lenius pitched a one-hit shutout to lead the Vikings to a 2-0 win over Ridgevue, clinching the Vikings the regional title and a fourth straight trip to state.
Lenius lasted 6 ⅔ innings, allowing a lone single to Ridgevue’s Chance Schreiber in the top of the first inning. He struck out 14 and walked four.
Beau Ramsey drove in both of Middleton’s runs with a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth. Lenius, Drew Holman and Jeremiah Keithley had the only other hits for the Vikings (20-4).
Earlier in the day, Ridgevue blanked Centennial 4-0 to eliminate the Patriots. Jameson Deitz threw a complete-game, three-hit shutout and struck out eight to extend the Warhawks’ season.
Centennial finished the year 19-8, its first season above .500 since 2016.
Ridgevue finished with a record of 13-12-1.
MOUNTAIN VIEW CROWNED REGIONAL CHAMP: The Mavericks exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the first inning and cruised to a 14-4, five-inning win over Rocky Mountain in the if-necessary game of their regional final.
Mountain View accumulated 13 hits for its third win of the day, including three from center fielder Braylon Schellhammer to go with four RBIs. Carson Lupton also had three hits, and shortstop Cade Burnham added two hits and two RBIs.
The Mavericks forced the if-necessary game after trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning of Game 1. They scored six runs in their half of the inning, with third baseman Ryan Yesford tying it up with a double to center field and Burnham adding a two-run double of his own.
Javin Ellett finished with one hit and two RBIs to lead Rocky (21-8) in its final game of the season.
5A BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
[Related: Full 5A regional bracket, scores]
SKYVIEW BATTLES WAY TO STATE: The Hawks had to take out Moscow twice on Saturday for a regional title and state berth, winning 7-6 in the opener and 5-4 in the if-necessary final.
Third baseman Aaron Vavold led Skyview at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with an RBI, and John Tyson totaled three RBIs, including what proved to be the game-winning single to center field in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Tyson also earned the win on the mound, allowing just one hit and no runs in 2 1/3 innings of work.
In the opener, the Hawks rallied from a 7-6 deficit with two runs in the top of the seventh as Henry Downey stole home and Trevan Plew lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Skyview also started the day with a 13-6 victory over rival Nampa.
Vallivue (25-3) wrapped up a state berth Friday with a 3-1 win over Lewiston.
4A BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
[Related: Full 4A regional bracket, scores]
FRUITLAND CROWNED REGIONAL CHAMP: The Grizzlies finished off their regional series with ease, topping Buhl 11-0 in six innings to advance to next week’s state tournament.
Fruitland improved to 26-0 as it aims for its first state championship since 2017, when it wrapped up the last of four straight titles.
Pitchers Coye Coffman and Jameson George combined for the three-hit shutout. Coffman earned the win, going four innings while allowing three hits with three strikeouts. He also helped his own cause with a pair of hits and an RBI.
Landon Bushong finished 2-for-3 with a solo home run for the Grizzlies.
COLE VALLEY CHRISTIAN ADVANCES: First baseman Dylan Irish hit a two-run double to center field in the top of the first, catapulting the Chargers to a 9-1 victory over Timberlake and a state berth.
Lucas Guray earned the win on the mound, allowing just one hit and no earned runs over five innings while striking out seven.
Cole Valley (23-5) racked up nine hits, including two apiece from Tyler Romine, Cole Morgan and Jake Church.
HOMEDALE’S SEASON COMES TO END: The Trojans lost back-to-back games to Sugar-Salem, culminating with a 6-1 loss Saturday morning to end their season in the regional round. Chance Martell and Carson Fine had the only hits for Homedale (18-10).
PAYETTE OUSTED: The Pirates were plagued by seven errors in a season-ending 8-6 loss to Marsh Valley. Payette (14-13) totaled 10 hits to Marsh Valley’s five, but the miscues proved too costly. Jake Penfold led the Pirates at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance.
3A BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
[Related: Full 3A regional bracket, scores]
NAMPA CHRISTIAN MOVING ON: The perennial power beat Firth for the second straight day to punch its ticket to the state tournament.
Nampa Christian outscored Firth 19-2 in two games, including a 9-2 victory Saturday. Seven different Trojans collected at least one hit, led by Kaden Mullins, who went 2-for-2. Right fielder Tanner Cagle blasted a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth, and pitchers Riley Schaefer, Jack Ihli and Mullins combined to allow just four hits and one earned run.
MARSING QUALIFIES FOR STATE: The Huskies downed 3A WIC rival Melba 3-1 to claim one of four state tournament spots .
Six different players registered a hit for the Huskies, with Jace Chadez, Teagan Kinney and Luke Steinmeyer each hitting a double. Chadez also earned the win on the mound, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out three over six innings.
Second baseman Ty Aggen accounted for Melba’s lone RBI on a ground ball single in the top of the fifth.
Melba (13-14) edged Wendell 9-8 earlier in the day for the right to play Marsing in the regional final before being eliminated.
NEW PLYMOUTH KNOCKED OUT: Despite scoring six runs in the top of the seventh, the Pilgrims’ rally came up short in an 11-9 loss to Orofino. Third baseman Payton Zigga was the only player for New Plymouth (14-15) with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.
PARMA ELIMINATED: The Panthers were ousted from regional action after an 18-7, five-inning loss to Grangeville. First baseman Jacob Mikelson led the Panthers (11-18) in the loss, going 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a double.
2A BASEBALL REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
[Related: Full 2A regional bracket, scores]
NORTH STAR COMES UP SHORT: The Huskies forced an if-necessary game in their regional series with Troy, but the Trojans escaped with a 9-8 win to eliminate North Star Charter.
North Star started the day with a 7-6 win over Troy and appeared poised to take the third game of the series after plating five runs in the top of the seventh for an 8-7 lead. But Troy rallied with two runs in their half of the inning to steal the state berth.
Shortstop Jace Irwin paced the Huskies (18-4), going 3-for-3 with a triple. First baseman Cole Young and pitcher Carlos Guzman added two hits apiece.
IDAHO 6A REGIONAL SCORES
Winner of each regional advances to state
[Related: Full 6A regional bracket, scores]
OWYHEE REGIONAL
Saturday
Owyhee 6, Capital 5
Championship
Owyhee 4, Eagle 3
Owyhee 3, Eagle 2
MIDDLETON REGIONAL
Saturday
Ridgevue 4, Centennial 0
Championship
Middleton 2, Ridgevue 0
MADISON REGIONAL
Saturday
Mountain View 9, Madison 4
Championship
Mountain View 7, Rocky Mountain 2
Mountain View 14, Rocky Mountain 4, 5 innings
LAKE CITY REGIONAL
Saturday
Lake City 11, Highland 3
Championship
Lake City 10, Coeur d’Alene 1
Coeur d’Alene 6, Lake City 5
IDAHO 5A REGIONAL SCORES
Winner of each regional advances to state
[Related: Full 5A regional bracket, scores]
BONNEVILLE REGIONAL
Saturday
Mountain Home 6, Pocatello 3
Championship
Bonneville 8, Mountain Home 3
TWIN FALLS REGIONAL
Saturday
Skyline 6, Jerome 0
Championship
Twin Falls 4, Skyline 3
LEWISTON REGIONAL
Friday
Championship
Vallivue 3, Lewiston 1
SKYVIEW REGIONAL
Saturday
Skyview 13, Nampa 6
Championship
Skyview 7, Moscow 6
Skyview 5, Moscow 4
IDAHO 4A REGIONAL SCORES
Winner of each best-of-three series advances to state
[Related: Full 4A regional bracket, scores]
FRUITLAND REGIONAL
Friday
Fruitland 4, Buhl 3
Saturday
Fruitland 11, Buhl 0, 6 innings
TIMBERLAKE REGIONAL
Friday
Cole Valley Christian 7, Timberlake 6
Saturday
Cole Valley Christian 9, Timberlake 1
MARSH VALLEY REGIONAL
Friday
Marsh Valley 3, Payette 0
Saturday
Marsh Valley 8, Payette 6
SUGAR-SALEM REGIONAL
Friday
Sugar-Salem 8, Homedale 1
Saturday
Sugar-Salem 6, Homedale 1
IDAHO 3A REGIONAL SCORES
Winner of each regional advances to state
[Related: Full 3A regional bracket, scores]
OROFINO REGIONAL
Saturday
New Plymouth 8, North Fremont 1
Championship
Orofino 11, New Plymouth 9
MARSING REGIONAL
Saturday
Melba 9, Wendell 8
Championship
Marsing 3, Melba 1
FIRTH REGIONAL
Saturday
Firth 10, Challis 9
Championship
Nampa Christian 9, Firth 2
MALAD REGIONAL
Saturday
Grangeville 18, Parma 7, 5 innings
Championship
Malad 10, Grangeville 0, 5 innings
IDAHO 2A REGIONAL SCORES
Winner of each best-of-three series advances to state
[Related: Full 2A regional bracket, scores]
POTLATCH REGIONAL
Friday
Potlatch 2, Glenns Ferry 1
Saturday
Potlatch 23, Glenns Ferry 5
KENDRICK REGIONAL
Friday
Kendrick 14, Genesee 4
Saturday
Kendrick 15, Genesee 3, 5 innings
CLEARWATER VALLEY REGIONAL
Friday
Clearwater Valley 7, Prairie 3
Saturday
Prairie 4, Clearwater Valley 3
Clearwater Valley 20, Prairie 10
NORTH STAR CHARTER REGIONAL
Friday
Troy 12, North Star Charter 11
Saturday
North Star Charter 7, Troy 6
Troy 9, North Star Charter 8
This story was originally published May 10, 2025 at 8:49 PM.
