BY KIRK FELGER PHOTOS BY DAVID SEELIG The 2016 American Legion campaign started this week with great weather and baseball. The Wood River Gauchos, Legion “B”, 13-15 year olds, team kicked it off, splitting a double header with the Canyon Ridge Hawks. They won their first game 10-6 and lost the second game 8-3.
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Come Friday, two Wood River single “A” teams squared off. The 2015 State runners-up and District “C” champion Wranglers took on the Wood River Silver Spurs. Senior ace pitcher Nic Tidwell started for the Wranglers and Sophomore Andy Ruiz for the Spurs. With two outs in the second, the Wranglers’ Zach Nelson got on base via an error and scored on Tyler Price’s single, as Price was thrown out at second by a great relay from center fielder Tierdan Naghsh. Tidwell had a throwing error in the second after Andy Ruiz singled, allowing Ruiz to score. But he got out of the inning with three strikeouts to preserve the score at 1-1. A fielder’s choice from Lane Felger and a double by Evan Hesselbacher allowed the Wranglers to move into scoring position in the third. And the Wranglers would not be denied, as Christian Hovey hit a single, scoring both. Hovey then scored on an error to put the Wranglers up 4-1.
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Wrangler’s pitcher Kyle Nelson took the mound in the third. After two ground outs, he loaded the bases with walks. But he fanned the next batter bringing the inning to an end without the Spurs getting a score. Nic Tidwell got hit by the pitch an inning later, stole a base and scored to make it 5-1 for the Wranglers. Come the fifth, Hesselbacher made it aboard on a fielder’s choice. Hovey singled to left off Jett Erickson, scoring Hesselbacher to make it 6-1 Wranglers. The Spurs got that run back in the bottom of the fifth when Tierdan Naghsh singled off Ike Buxton and scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
Hesselbacher closed out the win in the seventh.
Editor’s Note: This story was sponsored by Dang’s Thai Cuisine.
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