by Tom Turpin
BFHS Head Baseball Coach
The Badger baseball team had to get to the State
Baseball Tournament the hard way after a 3-1
loss to the Timberlake Tigers last Tuesday in
the District 1-2 3A District Championship game.
After dispatching Kellogg 10-0 in six innings on
Thursday, the Badger boys traveled to
Grangeville, Idaho to take on the Weiser
Wolverines from District 3 in a winner-to-state
game. The Badgers beat the Wolverines in a
thrilling 9-8 win.
Bonners Ferry started the scoring off in the
first inning after Jesse Dunham walked with one
out. After a passed ball, Steve Anzalone then
hit a RBI single to score Dunham and advanced on
a throwing error from the left fielder. Caleb
Gering then hit a RBI single to score Anzalone.
With one out, Shay Garcia hit a shot to the
right side but unfortunately hit Gering while he
was advancing to second. With Garcia at second
base, Vince Bennett hit a RBI single to score
Garcia. The Wolverines added a run in the bottom
of the first after their leadoff hitter walked
and later scored on a single from Evan Loomis.
Both teams went quietly in the second inning but
in the top of the third inning the Badgers added
two more runs on two hits. Dunham walked for the
second time in the game and later scored on a
RBI double from Anzalone. Garcia then hit a shot
to the shortstop which caromed off the player
and Anzalone was sent home rounding third. The
shortstop was able to grab the ball and gun
Anzalone at the plate for the second out. With
Garcia advancing on the play to second base,
Bennett hit another RBI single to score Garcia
to make the score 5-1. But, the Wolverines
staged a comeback in the bottom of the 3rd
inning scoring five runs on seven hits capped by
a towering three-run home run from their second
baseman Brendan Kropp to make the score 6-5 in
favor of Weiser.
Bonners Ferry roared back in the top of the 4th
inning, scoring three runs to take an 8-6 lead.
In the inning, Kevin Gray hit a double to left
to start the inning followed by a RBI double
from Brady Bateman. Dunham then hit a RBI single
to left to score Bateman. After back to back
walks to load the bases, Dunham scored on a
grounder from Garcia. Weiser added a run in the
bottom of the 4th inning after Matt Pritchard
singled and later scored on a grounder from
Kropp to make the score 8-7 Badgers.
The Badgers added an insurance run in the 5th
inning after one out walks to Gray and Bateman.
After Dunham struck out for second out, Anzalone
walked to load the bases. Gering then received
the RBI when he was walked to score Gray.
With the score 9-7 in the bottom of the 7th
inning, The Wolverines attempted to stage
another comeback. With two outs in the inning,
Dalton Turrentine and Ryan McDaniel singled
followed by a walk to Logan Ronley to load the
bases. The next batter, Loomis, then hit a
dribbler to the third baseman and beat out the
throw to first to score Turrentine. With the
bases still loaded and the tying run just 90
feet away, the #3 hitter in the lineup scorched
a first pitch liner to Dunham at third. Dunham
caught the ball for the final out of the game.
The Badgers won 9-8 and advanced to the State
Tournament to play Marsh Valley at 9:00 a.m.
(PST) on Thursday, May 14. There will be a
webcast of the game through www.idahosports.com.
Anzalone, Bennett and Gray each got 2 hits in
the game while Anzalone, Gering, and Bennett
each had 2 RBI. Bateman, Anzalone and Gray all
had doubles in the win. Bennett came in relief
for the win.
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