For the week of May 14 - 20, 2003

Seniors who have sparked Wood River High School’s baseball team to an outstanding two-year stretch are, from left, Ryne Reynoso, Kellen Chatterton, Drew Detwiler, Paul Tinker and Matt Conover. They were 21-1 over two years at home on Founders Field, where this photo was snapped Friday, prior to yesterday’s SCIC title game against Buhl. Express photo by David N. Seelig

State still the goal for Wood River baseball

Hailey battles Buhl for district title

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There wasn’t much resistance for the Wood River High School baseball team, which continued to hit on all cylinders in its first two games of last week’s Sawtooth Central Idaho Conference tournament.

It was almost a cakewalk, the results nearly as certain as rainy days in Sun Valley.

Most of the talk from Wolverine players and coaches wasn’t on whether the Hailey squad could win the SCIC tournament for the third time in four years—but whether Hailey could carry its late-season streak all the way through the May 22-24 State 3A tournament.

Top-seeded Wood River (21-4-1) stretched its winning streak to nine with Friday’s 11-4 win over #4-seeded Kimberly and Saturday’s 10-0 run-rule success over #2 Buhl, both games at Founders Field in Hailey.

The pitching was solid.

Sophomore righthander Steve Hansen (7-1) threw a complete-game eight-hitter against winless Kimberly. On Saturday, senior righty Ryne Reynoso (8-2, 20-5 career) throttled Buhl on three hits in the 10-0 six-inning triumph.

The outcomes, combined with Kimberly’s 4-1 upset win over #3 Filer Saturday, put the Bulldogs (1-22) up against Buhl in a loser-out game Monday. Buhl prevailed 9-3, which meant defending champ Wood River hosted Buhl Tuesday for the SCIC tournament title.

Wood River, shooting for its fifth straight state tournament berth, feasted on mistakes in its two preliminary victories.

Friday, five of the first seven Hailey runs were unearned against Kimberly (6 errors). Matt Conover (2 hits, 3 runs) doubled in the first frame, then Paul Tinker (2 hits) and Steve Durkin added RBI singles in the three-run outburst.

Reynoso (2 hits, 4 runs) belted a three-run homer in the third. Tinker chipped in with an RBI single in the fourth for a 9-0 lead. Joe Paisley (double) and Brady Femling added two hits each in the 12-hit attack.

The Buhl Tribe survived a 14-13 slugfest with Filer (13-13) Friday, but Buhl committed three errors in the first two innings at Founders Field Saturday and helped Wood River to an early 5-0 lead.

Wood River (11 hits, each starter scoring) didn’t need much help with Reynoso (77 pitches, 3 hits, 5 K) on the hill.

Defense was virtually bulletproof—catcher Kellen Chatterton throwing out a stealer in the third, Brady Femling and Drew Detwiler working a 4-6-3 twin-killing in the fourth, and first baseman Paul Tinker ending it by stabbing a hard Rob Walker liner in the sixth.

Leadoff hitter Detwiler had a two-run double, Tinker (2 hits) added an RBI double, third baseman Durkin had two hits, Joe Paisley (double) scored twice and Dylan McIlhenny (2 hits) brought the game to a 10-run close with an RBI single in the home sixth.

The SCIC winner advances to the State 3A tourney May 22 in Ontario, Ore. The runner-up heads to American Falls for an inter-district play-in game Saturday, May 17 at 1 p.m.

Check today’s Express Web site for results of Tuesday’s SCIC championship game.

 

WOLVERINE NOTES—The Wolverines are 21-1 at home the last two years and have dominated in SCIC play—going 17-0 in all league games that counted, and 26-1 in all league games. This year, going 14-0 in all league games, they’ve outscored SCIC opponents 184-64.

 

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