Around the Horn: Malad wins opener in 9 innings; Preston, Bonneville, Blackfoot, Highland, Thunder Ridge also win

EASTERN IDAHO — The Malad Dragons battled the Kellogg Wildcats into the ninth before finally emerging victorious to keep their hopes of another state championship alive.

Thunder Ridge, Highland, Blackfoot, Bonneville and Preston all kept their own title hopes alive with wins, while Pocatello, Marsh Valley, Sugar-Salem, Firth and North Fremont all adjusted their focus to the consolation bracket following Thursday losses.

Here is what happened Thursday in softball state tournament play:

6A, at Coeur d’Alene High School and Lake City High School

No. 4 Highland vs. No. 5 Mountain View

The Rams opened their tournament with a run-rule walk-off single from freshman Emery Wall, securing a 13-3 victory over the Mavericks in six innings.

Senior Reece Bybee got things started for Highland, hitting a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first. But it was a four-run second and three-run fourth that allowed the Rams to create separation, and finally a five-run sixth that ended the game.

Bybee went 3-for-3 with a walk, two homers, four runs and four RBIs to lead the way. Sophomore Dawson Sommer added her own 4-for-4 day, with a double and three RBIs.

Sommer and senior McKenna Sutton combined to hold Mountain View to five hits and three runs in a solid joint effort from the circle.

Highland will face No. 1 Owyhee in Friday’s semifinal, with first pitch scheduled for 11:15 a.m. at Lake City High School.

No. 6 Thunder Ridge @ No. 3 Lake City

The Titans got a thunderous outing from senior Carly Jones, who struck out 13 while allowing six hits and five runs, three earned, leading her team to a 7-5 victory over the Timberwolves.

Jones also drove in a run, while sophomore Zoey Sorg was the engine for the Thunder Ridge offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and three runs scored.

The Titans will face No. 2 Eagle in a semifinal game scheduled for 11:15 a.m. at Coeur d’Alene High School.

5A, at Post Falls High School

No. 5 Pocatello @ No. 4 Bonneville Bees

The Bees scored three in the third and eight in the fourth to turn an early deficit into a sizable lead and 11-4 opening-round victory over the Thunder.

Junior Gracie Longhurst went the distance for Bonneville, scattering 10 hits and four runs, three earned, while striking out 11. She also added a pair of hits, while the Bee bats were led by senior Paisley Bowler, junior Alyvia Rudd and freshman Evelyn Ryan, with one homer and three RBIs apiece.

Bonneville will face No. 1 Middleton in Thursday’s semifinal round, with first pitch set for 11:15 a.m.

Seniors Piper Williams and Azlinn Bullock both homered for Pocatello.

The Thunder will face No. 8 Twin Falls in the second round on the consolation side of the 5A bracket, with the game scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

No. 3 Blackfoot vs. No. 6 Lakeland

The Broncos, led by junior Emma McGuire, knocked off Lakeland 9-4.

McGuire went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs scored and five RBIs to help the Blackfoot offense back junior starter Traylee Reid.

Reid lasted 5 innings, scattering seven hits and four runs while striking out seven.

Blackfoot will face No. 2 Vallivue in the semifinal round Friday at 11:15 a.m.

4A, at Filer High School

No. 8 Marsh Valley @ No. 1 Kimberly

The Eagle offense never got going Thursday in a 15-0 five-inning run-rule loss to Kimberly.

Freshmen Jaynie Larsen, Mckelle East and Hazel Sorensen each picked up a hit for the young Marsh Valley squad, while Brooklyn VerWey and Addison Cann each homered for Kimberly.

The Eagles will face No. 4 Weiser Friday at 9 a.m. in the second round.

No. 5 Preston @ No. 4 Weiser

Preston and sophomore Ellie Keller earned a 12-5 upset over Weiser, pulling away with 11 runs over the final three frames.

Keller and junior Brielle Biggs provided the punch out of the three- and four-holes. Keller went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs, while Biggs added two hits, three runs and three RBIs.

Keller also did work from the circle, pitching all 7 innings and holding Weiser to eight hits and five runs, four earned.

Preston will face Kimberly at 11:15 a.m. in the semifinals.

No. 6 Sugar-Salem @ No. 3 Gooding

The Diggers recorded just two hits, but it was the defense that was their undoing.

Sugar-Salem was charged with seven errors, leading to 11 unearned runs as junior starter Emery Green tried to work around the blunders. Green was tagged with just one earned run on 11 hits. She struck out eight and walked five. She also knocked in Sugar-Salem’s only run.

The Diggers will face No. 7 Fruitland in an elimination game at 9 a.m.

3A, at Timberlake High School and Lakeland High School

No. 8 Firth @ No. 1 Nampa Christian

The Cougars combined for just three hits in a 21-0 five-inning run-rule loss to the top-seeded Trojans.

Nampa Christian took an early 7-0 lead, scoring four in the first and three in the second, then put the game away with a 14-run fourth.

Firth will face No. 4 Orofino in a 9 a.m. elimination game Friday.

No. 3 Malad vs. No. 6 Kellogg

It took nine innings to resolve matters, but the Dragons are back in the semifinals on the strength of a 3-2 walk-off win.

Kellogg scored one run in the top of the sixth, answering a single Malad run in the bottom of the fifth, for the only scoring in the first eight innings. The Wildcats pushed another run across in the top of the ninth, but the Dragons answered with an RBI triple from sophomore Stella Merja and a game-ending sacrifice fly from sophomore Sarah Toone.

Toone earned the decision, twirling 5 solid innings in relief of Lydia Gonzalez.

Gonzalez held Kellogg scoreless on one hit while striking out four in her 4 innings of work. Toone allowed two hits and two unearned runs while striking out seven.

Malad will face No. 2 Parma in an 11:15 a.m. semifinal matchup.

No. 7 North Fremont vs. No. 2 Parma

The Huskies were shut down by Parma starter Wesli Crockett in an 8-2 loss.

North Fremont got a two-hit day from senior Peyton Lenz, who also went the distance in the circle, striking out nine and surrendering 10 hits and eight runs. Catie Pickard recorded two hits of her own in the loss.

The Huskies will face Kellogg in an elimination game Friday at 9 a.m.