BY MICHAEL DAVID
The Wood River Wranglers American Legion team stayed hot this weekend, sweeping a doubleheader Friday against the Twin Falls Cowboys.
Playing at Founders Field in Hailey, the Wrangler offense exploded late in the first game for an 11-4 victory. In the second game, Wood River pitchers Kyle Nelson and Tyler Price combined to shut out the Cowboys 6-0.
Twin Falls pitcher Cade Greenfield held the Wranglers’ offense scoreless during the first three innings of Game One, limiting Wood River batters to just two hits. The Cowboys grabbed the lead in the top of the third, scoring two unearned runs off Wrangler starter Christian Hovey.
But the Cowboy’s 2-0 lead would be short lived. Nic Tidwell led off the fourth inning with a sharp double in the left center gap. The next four Wranglers reached base safely, as Price, Nelson Cantrell, Nelson and Lane Felger each picked up RBI’s to give Wood River a 4-2 lead.
After the Cowboys tied the game 4-4 in the top of the fifth, the Wranglers scored two more in the bottom half to get the lead for good, 6-4. The boys from Hailey scored five more in the sixth inning with Cade Schott and Tyler Price knocking in 3 of those 5 runs.
Coaches Lars Hovey and Kirk Felger called on Kyle Nelson to take the hill for the Wranglers in the twilight game.
Nelson skillfully answered that call, shutting the Cowboys out for the first four innings, limiting them to a measly two hits. His teammate Tyler Price was masterful in relief, frustrating the Twin Falls batters for the final two innings, completing the shutout in Game Two.
Ike Buxton and Zach Nelson drove home Brock Mary and Nic Tidwell in the first inning, providing all the offense the Wrangler pitchers would need.
But the Wrangler offense wasn’t done, as Mary brought Hesselbacher home in the second inning after the latter tripled off the fence to lead off the inning. Cantrell scored in the third inning on an RBI single by Hovey, and the Wranglers tacked on two more runs in the fifth, providing for the 6-0 final.
The Wranglers are back in action Saturday against Marsh Valley. The doubleheader starts at 1 p.m. at Founders Field.
Game #1
Twin Falls Cowboys 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 --- 4
Wood River Wranglers 0 0 0 4 2 5 x --- 11
Wood River Wranglers ab r h rbi
Mary 2b 4 1 1 0
Schott dh 2 0 1 0
Hesselbacher dh 2 1 1 1
Tidwell 3b 4 3 3 0
Benson cf 2 2 0 0
Price lf 3 1 2 3
Nelson, Zach c 4 1 1 2
Cantrell ss 3 1 2 1
Nelson, Kyle rf 3 0 0 1
Felger 1b 2 1 1 1
Totals 29 11 12 9
Game #2
Twin Falls Cowboys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 --- 0
Wood River Wranglers 2 1 0 1 2 0 x --- 6
Wood River Wranglers ab r h rbi
Mary c 4 1 1 1
Schott dh 4 0 1 0
Tidwell 3b 2 2 1 0
Benson cf 3 0 0 0
Buxton rf 3 0 0 1
Nelson, Zach 1b 2 1 1 1
Cantrell ss 2 1 2 2
Hovey lf 3 0 1 1
Hesselbacher 2b 3 1 1 0
Totals 26 6 8 6