Wolverines start State run with a win

Game one

Weiser 7 - Timberlake 2

 Game one of the State softball tournament is in the books as a win. Weiser faced off against Timberlake on Thursday, May 15 at Skyview High School in Nampa. 

 Weiser was the three seed, Timberlake the sixth seed. Weiser was the home team but it was a bit dicey for several innings. 

 Timberlake scored in the first inning and kept Weiser from scoring for four innings. Weiser scored one run in the bottom of the fifth to trail 2-1. The bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth including a three run homer by Bennett Torres. Weiser would win this game 7-2.

 As stated, Timberlake scored in the first inning when the first batter hit a hard double to left center. A bunt pop up was fielded cleanly by Torres. A deep fly to center to Sophia Shirts was caught for the sacrifice and the one run. Madi Janicek struck out a batter but the ball was dropped by Torres. Torres scrambled after the ball and threw a bullet to Ellie Shirts at first for the third out. In the bottom of the frame, Weiser was three up and three down.

 In the top of the second inning, Taylor Mordhorst threw out the first batter from her third base position. E. Shirts caught a foul ball for out number two. Janicek struck out the third batter. In the bottom of the frame, Natalia Hoobery came to the plate with one out. She hit a THTH (too hot to handle) ball right through the third baseman. She would be stranded on the bags as Timberlake maintained their 1-0 lead.

 Janicek would record three strike outs in the top of the third and issued just one walk who was left on base. Weiser fared no better in the bottom of the inning. 

 Three more strikeouts in the top of the fourth and one Weiser error kept the game close. In the bottom half, a throw out, a strike out and a caught fly ball in right field shut down the Lady Wolverines.

 The top of the fifth began with a Janicek strike out. The next batter hit a knuckler to Jordan Stromberg at second for the throw to E. Shirts with a beautiful stretch. The third batter up hit a rocket just barely over the fence in deep center field. The last batter hit a foul pop up down the third base line that Torres easily caught. Timberlake increased their lead to 2-0. 

 Weiser was running out of innings and this is where the girls settled in. Hoobery hit a hard shot right up the middle. The ball went under the centerfielder’s glove as Hoobery rounded first and kept on going to third base. Anhala Meads replaced her at third. Janicek hit into a fielder’s choice for the sacrifice scoring Meads. That would do it but the lead was cut in half as Weiser trailed 2-1.

 Mordhorst had the throw to first for out number one in the top of the sixth inning. Stromberg also threw to first with E. Shirts picking the ball out of the dirt for out number two. A fly to Jessica Waite in left ended that half of the inning quite nicely. 

 S. Shirts was up to bat in the bottom half. Weiser figured out to swing at the first pitch which was the ticket. S. Shirts hit a bunt back to the pitcher. The second baseman was covering the bag and was in too much of a hurry to actually field the ball cleanly on the throw committing the error. S. Shirts was safe. E. Shirts ripped a triple to right center scoring her sister and setting herself up in scoring position. Stromberg drew a full count walk. Two ladies on the bags. In stepped Torres. She jumped on the first pitch sending the ball over the right center fence for the three RBI homerun! Boy did Weiser need that. Still no outs either. Ali Navarette with one ball took the next pitch to the base of the right field fence for a double. Hoobery was on fire. She too went to full count. The pitch was a change up but Hoobery sat on it and smacked it over second base into no mans land for the single and a RBI. Mordhorst followed suit hitting the first pitch to right moving Hoobery to third base. A fielder’s choice by Janicek scored Hoobery from third. The next two batters were out but Weiser had done the damage leading 7-2.

 Janicek struck out the first batter looking in the top of the seventh inning. Hoobery on the run caught a fly ball and Janicek struck out the last batter looking. Weiser moved on to game number two against Cole Valley on Friday, May 16.