Jerome unseats Sandpoint
BOISE – There will be a new state champion in 4A baseball this year.
Defending champion Sandpoint, which pulled off several late-inning rallies to win last year’s title, couldn’t find the magic Thursday afternoon, losing 3-1 to the Jerome Tigers in an opening-round game at Bishop Kelly High School.
Tucker Thompson was the hero for the Tigers, allowing one run on four hits in seven innings. Thompson also scored the first run of the game, coming around on a triple by Kris Bos in the top of the sixth.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to Jerome,” Sandpoint coach Mike Givens said. “Their pitcher threw a great game and we just weren’t able to get any offense going against them.”
Sandpoint’s failure to score was not for lack of trying. The Bulldogs had their leadoff hitter reach base four times, but numerous attempts to steal bases or sacrifice bunt went awry.
“We just didn’t execute offensively,” Givens said. “We had our chances to move runners and manufacture some runs, but nothing we did seemed to work.”
Jerome was likewise stymied for the first five innings, but finally got to Sandpoint pitcher Tyler Lichty in the sixth.
Thompson drew a leadoff walk and scored on Bos’ triple to deep center field. Buddy Green followed with an RBI single and, after moving to third on a throwing error, scored on a sacrifice bunt by Mike Cummins.
The three-run lead proved to be enough, as Sandpoint threatened late but couldn’t get the tying run across.
Cory Hawkins doubled and scored the Bulldogs’ lone run in the bottom of the sixth, coming home on a sacrifice fly by Cole Tonnemacher that fell just short of being a game-tying three-run homer.
Green made the catch on Tonnemacher’s deep fly ball, one of several standout plays the senior made on the afternoon.
“I was really pleased with our effort defensively,” Jerome coach Tom Bobrowski said.
Lichty was solid in defeat, allowing four hits and two earned runs while striking out five.
Sandpoint (15-12) falls to the consolation bracket, where it will play either Minico or Bishop Kelly at noon PDT at Bishop Kelly High.
Jerome (26-4) advances in the winner’s bracket to play either Minico of Bishop Kelly in tonight’s semifinal.
In other 4A opening-round action, Columbia topped Rigby 4-2 and Nampa edged Century 5-4. Nampa and Columbia play in the semifinals and Rigby plays Century in a loser-out game.