State 5A baseball : LC’s Johnson delivers winner

BOISE – Kyle Johnson got a second chance at a big hit Thursday night and took advantage, driving in the winning run in Lake City’s 3-2, eight-inning victory over Caldwell in the first round of the State 5A baseball tournament at Borah High’s Wigle Field.

With two runners on base, Johnson drove a 3-2, two-out pitch from Caldwell senior Brad Hahn into center field to score Mike Collins from second base in the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Timberwolves (20-6) advance to a 5:15 p.m. PDT semifinal contest with Timberline (21-6). Timberline scored five times in the bottom of the fifth inning to edge Idaho Falls 9-8.

“That same situation came up earlier and I didn’t come through. I grounded to short,” Johnson said. “He hung a curveball. I just hit it right out there.”

Johnson’s hit won the game instead of tied it because winning pitcher Zach Clanton barely escaped a difficult situation in the top of the eighth.

After Fernando Robles’ drive got lost in the shadows and fell into center field for a triple, Clanton hit right fielder Izaac Garsez with a pitch. Clanton then got two ground balls for forceouts. The second turned into a double play when baserunner Ryan Hill was called for interference on his slide into Timberwolves second baseman Chris Combo.

“We were fortunate to get out of the top of the eighth,” said Lake City coach Cory Bridges. “Zach Clanton did a great job.”

The LC defense made the plays Clanton needed all evening long.

“Same as they’ve been all year. I have no doubt we have the best defense in the state,” Clanton said. “I wasn’t really blowing my fastball by anyone, so I was starting with my slider, fooling them a little bit.”

Caldwell outhit the Timberwolves 9-8, but it appeared the Lake City hitters drove the ball better.

Hahn mixed occasional fastballs with curves and changeups and got away with most of his mistakes. The exceptions were a Johnson base hit in the eighth and Alex Capaul’s high solo home run that just cleared the left-field fence in the first inning.

“I thought we hit better than they did, but everything was caught by the right fielder (Garsez),” Clanton said.

“He was all over the place,” Johnson said.

Garsez recorded seven putouts in the first five innings, including sliding catches in deep center field and on the right-field line.

Lewiston 8, Twin Falls 0: Josh Richardson pitched a complete-game two-hitter, leading the Bengals over the Bruins. Tom Kerr hit a home run and Matt Martin added two doubles to lead Lewiston. The Bengals (24-5) advance to play Mountain View, which beat Boise 5-3, today at Borah High School.