The Wood River American Legion baseball team saved two of its best clutch performances of the season for Thursday's loser-out action of the Area C "A" American Legion baseball tournament in Idaho Falls.
Coach Matt Nelson's Wood River squad won both of its games Thursday in dramatic fashion and ended the three-day, 12-team tournament with a 3-2 record for fifth place. Nelson was proud of the desire shown by his 15-18 year olds.
Faced with elimination Thursday, No. 8-seeded Wood River (25-18) put together a two-out, six-run rally in the seventh inning to overcome a 6-5 deficit and oust the No. 7-seeded, error-plagued Burley Green Sox (27-17) by an 11-6 score.
Later Thursday, Juan Martinez belted a two-out, game-winning double to send Keven Abbott home with the decisive tally in Hailey's 9-8 triumph over the No. 11-seeded Hillcrest Royals of Idaho Falls.
"It was a great game—a lot of fun to watch," said Nelson. The two Thursday wins gave Wood River quite a boost, since the Hailey ballplayers struggled all season long in games played in eastern Idaho (5-13 record) and in games against higher tourney seeds (4-13).
One of only six teams to make it all the way to the third and final day of action, Wood River went home Friday with an 11-3 loss to No. 2-seeded Blackfoot. The Buhl Tribe then beat Blackfoot 10-4 to earn the third-place honors and a trip to the State "A" tournament starting Wednesday, July 29, in Orofino.
The top-seeded Bonneville Bees defeated Upper Valley of St. Anthony 8-4 for the district championship later Friday. Bonneville and Upper Valley joined Buhl at state. Last week's district games were played at Melaleuca Field (McDermott Field) and Hillcrest High in Idaho Falls.
Wood River opened the district meet last Wednesday with a 9-1 victory over No. 9-seeded Twin Falls. Starting and winning pitcher was Shane Friesen, who earned his seventh win of the summer season. Then, Bonneville run-ruled Wood River by a 10-0 score.
Nelson's team won as many district tournament games, three, as state qualifiers Bonneville and Buhl. The Hailey boys finished with an outstanding 13-4 home mark and scored 297 runs (7.8 per game) while yielding 232 (6.1 per game).
