For the week of May 8 - 14, 2002

Beck’s one-hitter 
tames Tribe 5-1

Wood River wins SCIC crown, 
hosts tourney

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Matt Beck doesn’t mind the high pitching mound at Buhl’s Clint Faux diamond.

It makes the righthander seem taller than his already imposing 6-3 frame. He pitches well in big games at Buhl.

Evan Peebles, Wood River senior third baseman, steadies the Wolverines in the field and at the plate. He gloved Tribe grounders for the third outs of the sixth and seventh innings in Saturday’s 5-1 win at Buhl. Express photo by David N. Seelig

 

Nobody stood taller than Wood River High School senior Beck Saturday at Buhl. With commanding location, he threw a one-hitter and didn’t allow an earned run enabling the Wolverines to beat Buhl 5-1.

Beck (8-1 this spring, 13-3 two seasons) walked three of the first seven Tribe batters but settled down and was bulletproof for the final five-and-a-two-third frames as Wood River captured a huge victory.

Wood River (18-5, 6-0 league) completed an unbeaten SCIC season and earned the top seed in the upcoming league tournament. Buhl (14-6, 4-2) would have tied Wood River with a win, but it wasn’t to be.

Jeff Bolton’s two-run single in the first gave Beck all the runs he needed. In his first twinbill back after being sidelined with a shoulder injury, Bolton reached base five times in eight trips.

For insurance, Paul Tinker (2 hits) added a two-out RBI single in the third inning, Matt Conover (2 hits) chipped in with a two-out RBI double in the fourth and Joe Molyneux cracked a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the fifth frame.

Beck outdueled Tribe ace Tim Bourner, a talented righthanded junior who scattered seven hits but walked six—and three scored.

In the non-league nightcap, Buhl snapped Wood River’s school-record 14-game winning streak with a 13-8 triumph. The Wolverines out-hit Buhl 14-13 but left 12 runners on base. The Tribe scored in each inning off of three Wood River pitchers.

Tinker (4-for-5 with 6 RBI) had a terrific game at the plate.

Adding two hits apiece were Ryne Reynoso, Nic Nottingham, Molyneux and Beck. Winning pitcher Erik Van Patten helped himself with 5 RBI from the clean-up spot in the Tribe order.

Last Tuesday, Reynoso (5-1) tossed a five-inning three-hitter and whiffed seven Bulldogs en route to an easy 13-1 SCIC home win over Kimberly. Topping Wood River’s 15-hit attack were Conover (4-for-4, double, triple) and Tinker (3 hits).

Wood River wrapped its regular season with a home non-league game against Wendell Tuesday. Coach Lars Hovey’s Wolverines carried a 9-0 home record into the contest.

·  WOOD RIVER NOTES—During its 14-game win streak Wood River outscored opponents 160-57. For the season the Wolverines have scored 200 runs (8.7) and allowed 115 (5.0). They’ve got a good chance to break the single-season school record for wins (22) set by last year’s squad….Seemingly out of range is the defensive mark of 122 runs (4.4 per game) set in 2000…Beck (13-3) passed T.J. Peterson (12-9) for second place on the all-time Wood River pitching wins list. Matt Zachary leads the way at 21-5.

Last spring Wood River was 2-4 against eventual state champ Buhl. This year Hailey’s advantage is 3-1….But last year’s team played tighter games, going 6-2 in one-run decisions (6-0 before state, 0-2 at state). This year’s team is 3-1 in one-run games….Wood River is 93-43 the last five seasons including 45-10 at Founders Field….Steve Durkin, Brady Femling and Steve Hansen will come up from JV to round out the 18-player district tournament roster.

In the upcoming league tournament, Wood River is shooting for its fifth straight championship game appearance. The Wolverines won the SCIC tourney in 1999 and 2000, both times over Buhl. The Hailey squad will be shooting for its fourth consecutive state tourney trip….The Wolverines are 7-2 in their last three district meets.

 

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