For the Wood River High School softball team, it's a big week filled with two home games and the start of the Great Basin Conference West tourney at Jerome Saturday, May 2 and Monday, May 4.
After Tuesday's GBW league finale against top-ranked Burley, Wood River hosts Pocatello today, Wednesday at 4 p.m. for "Senior Day" at South Valley Sports Complex. It's the final home game for a Hailey squad that has struggled at home.
Defending champion Wood River (8-9, 2-2 league, 2-5 home) and Burley (16-7, 3-2) will then meet in the first round of the double elimination league tourney Saturday at 11 a.m. at Jerome, with top-seeded Jerome (13-5, 5-1) playing #4 Minico (0-19, 0-5) on another field at Jerome's Forsyth Park.
Tournament finals are Monday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Jerome. The champion automatically qualifies for the State 4A tournament May 14 at Post Falls, while the GBW runner-up has to win two play-in games next week to make the trip to Post Falls for state.
Wood River senior Samantha Engel (6 K, 1 BB) tuned up with a complete-game five-hitter in Friday's 3-1 Wolverine victory over the Skyview Hawks (7-12) at Nampa. Sophomore Josie Dawson (2 hits, 3 RBI) drove home all the runs. The Hailey defense had only one error.
"It was a well-pitched game by both pitchers," said Wood River coach Dale Martin. "When we play defense we are a very good team."
Saturday, visiting Wood River dropped a 12-11 and 11-1 doubleheader to the Twin Falls Bruins (15-8). The first game went to the eighth-inning tiebreaker, when Wood River scored two times and Twin Falls scored three. "It was a very exciting game," Martin said.
Engel (8-8 season, 30-29 career) yielded 14 hits and wasn't her sharpest in the 12-11 game. Top hitters were Dawson (3 hits, double, triple, 2 RBI), Kaitana Martinez (3 hits, 2 runs, double), Alex Lindbloom (2 hits, HR, 2 RBI) and Engel (2 RBI).
After the heartbreaking loss, Wood River came out flat in Saturday's 11-1 six-inning nightcap and managed only four hits. Sophomore pitcher Ali Levy (9 BB) got her first start and gave up 11 hits.
Wood River seniors Angela Coleman (left) and Samantha Engel will be honored during today’s “Senior Day” ceremony at South Valley Sports Complex softball field, Hailey. Pocatello is due to visit for 4 p.m. games.
Photo by Willy Cook
