BY MICHAEL DAVID

The Burley Bobcats rode into Hailey looking to sweep a double header against Wood River Thursday afternoon.

But the Wolverines, who swept three games last week from Jerome, were not going to cooperate. 

The Great Basin rivals matched up at Founders Field for two crucial conference games. The Wolverines prevailed in the first game 5-3 and Burley captured the second 4-0.

Senior Nic Tidwell toed the rubber in game one for Coach Donnie Green. And he pitched masterfully, holding the Bobcats hitless for five innings before Burley right fielder Easton Watterson laid down a perfect bunt in the top of the sixth inning to break up the no-hitter. 

Alec Nordsieck gave his pitcher offensive support right off the bat during  the very first inning.  After Dylan Broman opened the game with a double, Nordsieck lined a sharp single to center field.  Broman tried to score on the hit, but Bobcat centerfielder Luke Stowers made a strong throw to the cutoff man, who made a perfect relay to get Broman and keep Wood River off the scoreboard.

However, Nordsieck took advantage of a wild pitch and an error to make his way around the bases and put the Wolverines up 1-0.

Catcher Ike Buxton led off the Wolverines half of the second inning with a base on balls and came around to score on a single by the hot hitting Broman.  Broman would later score on a fielder’s choice to give the Wolverines a 3-0 lead. 

Burley would scratch out a run in the fifth inning without the benefit of a hit. The Bobcats scored two more runs in the sixth to tie the score 3-3. 

The Wolverines bounced back immediately to seize the lead. Broman singled to start the inning and Nordsieck followed with a base on balls.  After Reide Whitehead and Adrian Rojas were retired, designated hitter Gunner Gibson sharply singled up the middle to bring home Broman with the go ahead run.  Tidwell helped his own cause by singling home Nordsieck, regaining the two run cushion as the teams moved into the seventh inning.

Tidwell shut the door on the Bobcats in the final inning, preserving the 5-3 victory.

In the second game, Junior pitcher Cade Schott attempted to duplicate Tidwell’s dominant pitching performance. Schott mowed down the Bobcat hitters, not allowing a hit or a run in the first five innings and striking out eight Burley batters in the process.

Unfortunately for Schott and the Wolverines, Wood River was unable to generate any offense against Bobcat pitcher Gabe Rebollozo, and the teams went to the sixth inning in a scoreless tie.

Burley broke up Schott’s no-hit and shut-out bids in the top of the sixth when Rebollozo tripled home Davis Gibbons, who had led off the inning with a walk. Rebollozo scored on a wild pitch to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.  Burley would tack on two more runs in the top of the seventh inning, and the Wolverines were unable to mount any type of offensive comeback.

Wood River—now 9 and 3 on the season--will take on the Minico Spartans at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, at Founders Field.