Opportunity knocked, but the Wood River American Legion team could not answer in the final games of the regular season Thursday.
Hosting Shelley at Founder's Field, the Wolverines found themselves on the short end of a pair of one-run games, losing 8-7 and 12-11 (nine innings). With runners on base, hometown Hailey had a chance to win both games in the final frame, but could not bring them around. It has been a recurring theme this season. In the nine one-run games the Wolverines have played, they have won only three.
Coach Matt Nelson attribute the latest losses to a number of things, notably clutch hitting.
"We are not stringing together a lot of hits," Nelson said. "We're not getting that big hit. Our pitchers are giving up more walks and our defense isn't as tight as we need it to be."
Between July 11-14, the Wolverines (18-17 overall, 18-12 league) went 5-1 with five consecutive wins against Blackfoot, Highland and Marsh Falls, but between July 16-19, did exactly the opposite, with a 1-5 record against Pocatello, Bear Lake and Marsh Falls, with all four of the losses by a single run.
"I try to emphasize it is not a matter of what has happened in the past, but what we are going to do in the future," Nelson said.
Nelson hopes to turn things around in the upcoming Area C district tournament at Pocatello, July 25-28.
Wood River goes in as the #7-seed and will play the #10 team on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at Halliwell Park. The winner goes up against #2 Buhl Thursday night.
Whatever happens at districts is basically a tune-up for the State A Legion tournament, August 3-7 at Founder's Field. As tournament host, Wood River is assured a berth, but Nelson said it is important that the team earn the right to play at state.
"We don't want to be there just because we automatically are," he said. "We want to be there because we deserve it."
Shelley game
Against Shelley last Thursday, Wood River found itself trailing 8-4 in the seventh inning. With one out Danny Kramer doubled and Erik Jacobson (2 runs) brought him around on a single to trail by three, 8-5. Following another out, Pat Patterson's slice scored Jacobson. Kyle Rose (3-for-4), who is in the midst of a fine hitting streak, promptly doubled to push Patterson to third and bring the game-tying run to the plate. Pinch hitter Drew Anderson swatted a chopper to second, but beat out the throw to load the bases. Running on a pass ball, Patterson (2 hits) scored from third to make it 8-7, but the Russets' pitcher fanned the next batter to put the brakes on the Wolverines' rally.
In the nightcap, Shelley opened with a four-run first, tacked on one more in the second, but Wood River tied it in the home second, scoring five.
"They turned it on," Nelson said.
Jacobson and Patterson belted doubles, and Trent Seamons, Greg Wakefield, Michael Brunker and Tyler Israel all chipped in with RBI singles.
Both teams tallied two in the third. Anderson tripled The Russets went up 9-8 in the fourth maintained their advantage until the home seventh. With two out and Seamons on base, Anderson roped a single, scoring Seamons and sending the game to extra innings.
After a scoreless eighth, Shelley stepped on home base three times for a 12-9 lead. Once again, the Wolverines answered.
Seamons and Brunker got on with base knocks. Anderson's hit scored Seamons and put runners on first and second after Brunker was caught stealing. Wood River pulled within one on a RBI single by Jacobson, but Shelley made the ensuing put out at first to end the game, 12-11.
