They're back from spring break, and fifth-year Wood River High School baseball coach Matt Nelson is leading the Wolverines into the 24-game season with two non-league road games this week.
Wood River played at Kimberly Tuesday and heads to Buhl Friday, March 26 for two rare non-conference games—since 15 of the team's games will occur in the six-team Great Basin Conference this spring.
The Wolverines, coming back from an 8-15 spring season in 2009 and a winning 25-18 American Legion campaign last summer, has seven seniors and seven juniors—all with plenty of experience to carry into the tough 4A GBC league.
"We have a solid senior core, six guys who went to state as sophomores two years ago," said Nelson, helped again by veteran varsity assistant Jonah Torseth and junior varsity coach Jesse Neet.
Seniors are shortstop Keven Abbott, Shane Friesen, Jimmy Hague, first baseman Juan Martinez, Tanner Orchard, pitcher/catcher Tyler Peters and catcher Zak Sjoberg.
Juniors are Nate Farrow, Jake Freeman, Zach Israel, Tazmin Lyons, Alex Padilla, John Siegel and Alex Thomas. Collin Dean is the sophomore on the 15-player varsity.
Wood River opened its season March 12-13 with three games in the Treasure Valley. The Wolverines, short of pitching, dropped all three games by scores of 13-11 to Kuna, and 6-3 and 12-2 to Skyview of Nampa. Nelson said, "A lot of positives came out of the weekend."
At Kuna March 12, Peters and Lyons were the pitchers in a lengthy 13-11 decision. Kuna jumped ahead 10-4 after four innings, but Wood River rallied with seven runs in the final three frames to make it close.
"Tyler Peters (2-for-5, 2 RBI) had a great game at the plate. He hit the ball hard, and Jimmy Hague had a couple of hits and RBI," said Nelson.
Righthanders Israel and Padilla gave Wood River some strong pitching in a tough 6-3 loss to Skyview March 13. And Dean came in as a closer to mow down the Hawks. "We had decent pitching and our defense was good," said Nelson.
On the junior varsity are 14 players starting with junior Brandon Beall. The JV includes five sophomores, Haiden Aitken, Connor Braatz, Ryan Buell, Kevin Cooley and Braxton Parish. There are eight freshmen, William Ashfield, Drew Barsch, Tim Boyle, Nick Brunker, Wyatt Griffith, Joe McGonigal, Dylan Simpson and Ben Williams.
2010 WRHS Baseball Schedule
A total 24 games on the regular-season schedule for the 2010 Wolverine boys' varsity baseball team; 10 home and 14 away. Of the 24 games, 15 are conference contests. All home varsity games at Founders Field, Hailey are listed in bold. Great Basin Conference games shown by an asterisk. Also scheduled are 24 junior varsity games. When home games are played, the varsity plays at Founders and the JV has its games at Nelson Field, Hailey.
DATE, DAY OPPONENT, GAMES SITE, TIME
March 12, Friday Kuna (V/JV-2) Away, 2:30/4:30
March 13, Saturday Skyview (V/JV-2) Away, 12:00/2:00
March 23, Tuesday Kimberly (V/JV-1) Away, 3:30
March 26, Friday Buhl (V/JV-1) Away, 4:00
April 2, Friday Jerome* (V/JV-1) Home, 4:30
April 3, Saturday Jerome* (V/JV-1) Away, 12:00
April 3, Saturday Jerome* (V/JV-1) Away, 2:00
April 6, Tuesday Kimberly (V/JV-1) Home, 4:30
April 9, Friday Burley* (V/JV-1) Away, 4:30
April 10, Saturday Burley* (V/JV-1) Home, 12:00
April 10, Saturday Burley* (V/JV-1) Home, 2:00
April 13, Tuesday Century (V/JV-1) Pocatello, 4:30
April 16, Friday Minico* (V/JV-1) Home, 4:30
April 17, Saturday Minico* (V/JV-1) Rupert, 12:00
April 17, Saturday Minico* (V/JV-1) Rupert, 2:00
April 20, Tuesday Buhl (V/JV-1) Home, 4:30
April 22, Thursday Twin Falls* (V/JV-1) Away, 4:30
April 23, Friday Twin Falls* (V/JV-1) Home, 3:00
April 23, Friday Twin Falls* (V/JV-1) Home, 5:00
April 29, Thursday Canyon Ridge* (V/JV-1) Twin Falls, 4:30
April 30, Friday Canyon Ridge* (V/JV-1) Home, 3:00
April 30, Friday Canyon Ridge* (V/JV-1) Home, 5:00
May 4, Tuesday Great Basin Conference 4A tourney Higher seed, 5:00
May 6, Thursday Great Basin Conference 4A tourney Higher seed, 5:00
May 13, Thursday Great Basin 4A tourney placement Higher seed, TBA
May 20, Thursday State 4A tournament Rodeo Park, Nampa
NOTE—The 6-school Great Basin Conference gets 2 berths in the State 4A tournament May 20-22 in Nampa.
