CALDWELL — Never count out the champions.
It took over three hours, but eventually, the two-time defending state champions Owyhee prevailed against Lake City in the 5A state baseball semifinals.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Cade Walker delivered the walk-off hit to right field, sending Ryder Cutlip to the plate to walk-off the Wolves 3-2. The Storm had runners on in both the seventh and eighth innings and failed to capitalize.
Not in the ninth.
Owyhee was down to its final out before sending it to extra innings. Keagan Kelly reached on a single. Then, Lucas Skinner delivered the tying run, ripping a double to right center field to send Kelly home from first.
In as a courtesy runner for Skinner, Sean Jones reached third base as Ryder Cutlip reached on a walk. Gage Haws struck out with runners on the corners to end the inning.
Lake City got both of their runs in the top of the fourth. Sean Jiemenez hit a sacrifice fly and Charlie Dixon had an RBI single to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead. Owyhee’s first run came in the bottom of the fifth when Skinner grounded out to shortstop but sent Christian Zannitto home.
Owyhee will play Rocky Mountain in the State Championship Game at 5 p.m. Saturday at Wolfe Field.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN 10, MOUNTAIN VIEW 6: Mountain View was poised to play spoiler again.
The 5A state baseball tournament’s bottom seed took a 5-3 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning against No. 4 Rocky Mountain in the semifinals Friday night. They scored three runs in the top of sixth, using the same late game magic they had against top seed Eagle in the previous round.
That was until the Grizzlies laid down the hammer in the bottom of the sixth.
Rocky Mountain scratched seven runs across the plate in the inning to take a 10-6 lead. That wound up being the final score with the Grizzlies advancing to the championship game Saturday night at Wolfe Field.
The first six batters in the inning reached for Rocky Mountain (19-8). Jeff Thompson got things started with a double. Wesley Thompson followed with an RBI single. Rixon Rodriguez — who had one hit this season — entered the game as a pinch hitter and bunted for a base hit. Lincoln Mathis recorded an RBI on a fielder’s choice. Jordan Ellett drew a walk to load the bases.
Jackson Wendt had the second RBI hit of the inning with a single. On the same play, Ellett got caught in a rundown between second and third base. With the Mountain View (17-11) defense focused on Ellett, Mathis ran home to score another run. The throw home was late and Ellett reached third base.
Mountain View right fielder Carson Lupton dropped a fly ball from Hudson Espinoza, scoring another run. The Grizzlies batted around in the frame with Thompson adding another double to his statline, this time sending a run home. He finished 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI.
Once the dust settled, a seven-spot was posted on the scoreboard. Mountain View used four different pitchers in the inning, but no matter who they threw out there, Rocky Mountain got to them.
“We pride ourselves on being able to execute and being able to do little things at a high level. We truly believe little things win big games,” Rocky Mountain head coach Stephan Zanoni said. “Guy after guy was grinding at-bats away, being selfless. I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve loved all the teams I’ve coached but this is a special group.”
But even in the top of the seventh, Rocky Mountain had to sweat out the final three outs. The Mavericks loaded the bases for Evan Perry, who was 4-for-4 at the plate.
Jake Matson struck him out to end the game. The Grizzlies had 11 hits on the night with seven of them coming from the bottom three of their order.
“We knew we had to jump on their arms,” Mathis said. “We were on them all day, just weren’t finding the holes. Then they started falling.”
The rally resembled their performance in the state semifinals two seasons ago against Timberline. In a 12-8 win over the Wolves, the Grizzlies scored all 12 of their runs in one inning after facing a 5-0 deficit. It was the last time Rocky Mountain reached the championship game after missing out on the state tournament altogether last season.
Losing to Lewiston in a state tournament play-in game last season, they used that as fuel to kickstart another solid campaign. But this season didn’t start the way they wanted, posting a 7-6 record through early April.
Since that point, they’ve won 12 of their last 14 games. The only two losses came to Owyhee.
“This group hated that feeling on the bus ride back from Lewiston and not playing in the tournament,” Zanoni said. “Then we got off to the slow start, but all we know is work at Rocky. Work wins, we just kept working, kept looking to find ways to get better. I believe we’re hitting our stride to play our best baseball right now.”
The Grizzlies last two state titles came in 2012 and 2017.
MIDDLETON 3, EAGLE 2: Middleton scored two runs in the sixth inning to send Eagle out of the state tournament early. Both teams had five hits.
Trey Swygart went the distance for the Vikings on the mound, striking out four. He added an RBI at the plate, the only RBI Middleton had in the game.
The Vikings will play No. 7 Highland in the consolation final Saturday at 10 a.m..
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