Big innings give Weiser 3-1 record in weekend tourney

Weiser’s Lady Wolverine softball team spent the first two days of spring break in a four-game tournament, narrowly losing their first game 5-6 to Jerome, and then finishing with three impressive wins over Borah, Preston, and Ridgevue high schools.

 The exciting clash with Jerome’s Lady Tigers remained close until the final play. Weiser finished the top half of the seventh inning leading 5-3. With two outs and one on base, Jerome scored a run on a line drive to left field. In the next at-bat, on a 3-1 count, Jerome’s E. Helmer homered on a line drive to center field, giving the Tigers the win.

 Weiser went into the sixth inning down 3-1, but pulled into the lead after a series of hits and scores. Taylor Mordhorst singled on a line drive to left field. Pitcher Madi Janicek laid down a nice bunt, reaching first on a Tigers error, followed by a line drive to center by Sophia Shirts to load the bases.

 First baseman Ellie Shirts singled on a hard ground ball to left field, scoring Mordhorst. Fielding errors resulted in Janicek and S. Shirts both scoring, and E. Shirts making it to third base, Weiser was up 4-3. E. Shirts scored when left fielder Jessica Waite singled on a bunt, and just before Waite was tagged out advancing to second for the Wolverines’ third out.

 

 On the pitcher’s mound, Janicek threw five strikeouts, and allowed six runs on seven hits.

Weiser 16, Borah 4

 Weiser jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first inning against the Borah Lions and didn’t look back. Holding the Lions to no runs in the first two innings, Weiser added another two in the top of the  third, but Borah answered in the bottom with two. 

 The Wolverines banged out five hits in the top half of the fourth inning for four runs. Borah added another two in the bottom, ending the half with Weiser in a 14-4 lead. Weiser extended their lead by two more runs in the top of the fifth. The Lions couldn’t recover, with the game ending on the 10-run rule.

 E. Shirts led Weiser’s offense going 3-3-3-3. Multiple hits and RBIs were made by Stromberg, Ali Navarrete, Torres, Janicek and S. Shirts.

 Janicek allowed four runs on six hits, throwing three strikeouts in the game.

Weiser 12, Preston 3

 The Wolverines continued the weekend tournament in Homedale on Saturday, March 22, meeting the Preston Indians in the first go.

 By the end of the third inning, Weiser was in a 4-0 lead. After two outs, S. Shirts was in scoring position on third in the top of the fourth, but a ground out to second ended the half without a run. In the bottom half, the Indians put two over home plate to narrow Weiser’s lead to 4-2.

 The Wolverines drew another blank in the top of the fifth, with the Indians adding one run in their half, putting the score close at 4-3 with Weiser in the lead.

 The Wolverines blew the lid off in the top of the sixth, scoring eight runs in the burst. S. Shirts scored pinch runner Alyvia Goff on a double. Meeds and S. Shirts both scored on the same wild pitch to Stromberg, and E. Shirts scored when Stromberg singled. Torres homered on a line drive to left field for two runs. Navarrete and Hoobery were both on base on walks. Mordhorst singled, driving in Navarrete, and Hoobery stole home, putting Weiser up 12-3.

 Preston got one on base in the bottom of the inning, but didn’t score.

 Opening the game for Weiser, Janicek allowed four hits and three runs (two earned) over five innings, striking out nine and walking four.

Weiser 12, Ridgevue 0

 Weiser scored seven runs in the fourth inning, putting them into a 12-0 lead over Nampa’s Ridgevue High School Warhawks in Saturday’s second game. E. Shirts scored one run on a single, a fielding error scored another run, Navarette scored one run on a single, Goff scored one on a single, and Janicek hit an inside the park homerun, scoring three.

 Weiser got on the board in the first inning when E. Shirts scored during a ground out at second by Torres. In the top of the first, Janicek sat down the first two batters with strikeouts, and Wolverine catcher Torres caught a pop out. 

 Weiser’s defense held the Warhawks at zero runs, while adding four in the bottom of the third. S. Shirts opened the half, tripling on a hard ground ball to right field. E. Shirts drove her in, singling on a line drive to center field. E. Shirts stole second, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Torres doubled on a ground ball to left, scoring Shirts. Courtesy runner Ari Marquez relieved Torres on second, with Navarrete hitting a homerun line drive, scoring both of them.

 In the circle, Janicek allowed one run on zero hits, striking out nine.

 The Wolverines are scheduled to meet McCall on their home field at 6 p.m., Monday, March 31.