Nic Faces Regional Baseball Tournament

Thu., May 8, 1997

Some would say the North Idaho College baseball team pulled off an incredible feat just by qualifying for the Region 18 tournament.

The Cardinals (16-18 overall), who swept a three-game series from Treasure Valley last weekend to advance to regionals, begin tourney play this morning against the Southern Division’s No. 2 seed, Utah Valley (36-18).

NIC’s game begins at 9 a.m. The double-elimination tourney is being played at Dixie College’s Hurst Field in St. George, Utah. Dixie was the Southern Division champion.

NIC is making its first regional appearance in nine years. Every victory by the Cardinals prolongs coach Jack Bloxom’s 30-year career. Bloxom announced his retirement last week.

Bloxom plans to start former Coeur d’Alene High left-hander Shelby Hawkins (4-5, 4.70 ERA).

If NIC wins, it will play again later today.

Other openers are: North No. 2 Ricks College (32-21) vs. South No. 3 Snow College (27-19), noon; Utah Valley-North Idaho winner vs. North No. 1 Southern Idaho (37-16), 3 p.m.; Ricks-Snow winner vs. South No. 1 Dixie (39-13), 6.

The regional champ will play a best-of-3 series against the Region 1 (Arizona) champion to determine which team advances to the JC World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.

Wrestlers add recruits

New North Idaho College wrestling coach Pat Whitcomb has signed a pair of recruits he said will make an immediate impact.

Whitcomb signed heavyweight Roger Neff of Tacoma, who placed fourth at the U.S. Olympic Freestyle team trials last year, and Curtis Owen of Polson, Mont. Owen, a nephew of former NIC coach John Owen, was a two-time Montana state champion at 165 pounds.

Vandals sign a pair

Coach David Farrar has signed his first two men’s basketball players for the University of Idaho. Mao Tosi and Clifford Gray will join the Vandals after transferring from Kansas junior colleges.

Tosi, a 6-7, 270-pound forward, averaged 10 points and eight rebounds at Butler County Community College, which was 61-11 and a top-10 team during his two-year tenure.

Gray, 6-6, 210, averaged 12.9 points off 58 percent field-goal shooting as a sophomore for Dodge City Community College. He also averaged 9.3 rebounds.

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Nic Faces Regional Baseball Tournament

Jesse Tinsley

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