Around the Horn: Cream rising to the top as top seeds advance in district tournaments

EASTERN IDAHO – There was plenty of district tournament action on Tuesday.

Top-seeded Highland moved into the 6A District 5-6 championship game with wins over Madison and Thunder Ridge, while Bonneville and Blackfoot each advanced in the 5A District 6 bracket and will play Wednesday for a berth in the championship game.

Here’s the wrap-up of Tuesday’s tournament action.

6A

District 5-6
Top-seeded Highland cruised through the opening day of the tournament to advance to Thursday’s championship game.

The Rams scored 11 runs in the first inning of their tournament-opening win over Madison.

Reece Bybee homered in the win over Thunder Ridge.

Rigby bounced back from a loss to Thunder Ridge with a win over Madison.

Scores
-Highland 16, Madison 1
-Thunder Ridge 22, Rigby 1
-Rigby 15, Madison 5
-Highland 10, Thunder Ridge 5

5A

District 6
Top-seed Bonneville shut out Idaho Falls to open the tournament with a win.

Gracie Longhurst tossed four scoreless innings and Alyvia Rudd finished 3 for 3 with three RBIs and four runs for the Bees.

Scores
-Idaho Falls 7, Shelley 3
-Blackfoot 9, Skyline 8
-Bonneville 10, Idaho Falls 0
-Blackfoot 13, Hillcrest 3

4A

District 5
Top-seeded Preston downed Marsh Valley in its tournament opener as Brielle Biggs finished 3 for 4 and Chloe Dunn and Paisley Campbell each knocked in two runs.

Preston and No. 2 Bear Lake will play on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to the championship game.

Scores
-Snake River 4, American Falls 2
-Preston 12, Marsh Valley 7

3A

District 4-5
Malad move into Thursday’s championship game with an 11-6 win over Declo.

Stella Merja, Sarah Toone, and Logan Maroney each had two RBIs for the top-seeded Dragons.

Scores
-Wendell 9, West Side 1
-Malad 11, Declo 6
-Wendell 13, Declo 8

District 6
No. 1 North Fremont beat No. 2 Firth 9-8 to advance to Thursday’s championship game.

The Huskies led early, but had to hold off a late challenge from the Cougars.

Morgan Green and Makyah Cherry each had two RBIs, and Peyton Lenz picked up the win, striking out 10 for North Fremont.

Scores
-Salmon 16, West Jefferson 1
-Ririe 6, Salmon 4
-North Fremont 9, Firth 8