After a nearly three-week delay since winning its season opener, the Wood River High School varsity baseball team improved their season record to 2-0 in a close game Tuesday at Burley.
Spring break and inclement weather may have cooled off the Wolverine bats, but solid defense and stalwart pitching led the team to a 3-2 victory over the Burley Bobcats.
Pat Patterson racked up his second win of the year in relief of starter Kenny Cardona. Casey Hawkes got the save.
The Bobcats matched the Wolverines point for point in the first and third innings but were unable to repeat the feat after Wood River scored the winning run in the fifth.
In addition to the save, Hawkes batted 2-for-2, scored a run and earned an RBI.
"I'd say Casey was our savior yesterday; he did really well," Wolverine coach Matt Nelson said Wednesday.
Nelson also lauded the play of catcher Derrick Abbott: "He caught a great game yesterday—he was an absolute wall behind the plate."
The Wolverines drew first blood in the top of the first when Drew Anderson scored from third on a past ball. Hawkes scored from second in the third inning on a single by Huston Brashears.
Hawkes knocked in the winning run in the fifth inning on a single that scored Anderson from second.
The game was the first Great Basin Conference West match for Wood River. In their season opener, the Wolverines defeated the Twin Falls junior varsity team 15-9 in Twin Falls.
Wednesday's game in Jerome was cancelled because of rain, but has been tentatively reset for Monday, April 9.
This Saturday, the Wolverines are scheduled to take on Pocatello High School at 11 a.m. in Pocatello. On Tuesday they play against Minico High School at 4:30 p.m. in Rupert.
