Marsh Valley beat the Pocatello Rebels 7-3 in five innings.#idlegion
Watch highlights, plus interview with Eagles coach Kalen Anderson: pic.twitter.com/7W4YQbPKUr

— Jeff Papworth (@JeffPapworth) June 23, 2017

POCATELLO – Go back to an hour before Marsh Valley’s game Thursday when the Eagles were practicing their batting at Halliwell Park.

That was when Marsh Valley coach Kaleb Anderson had his first clue it would be a good day, which ended with the sun setting on a 7-3 five-inning win against the Pocatello Rebels in the Razorbacks/BSN Sports Wood Bat tournament.

“I really liked what I saw,” said Anderson said of the pregame batting practice. ”They were getting their eye on the ball. They were concentrating on their mechanics, rather than just rushing through the drill.”

His intuition proved correct quickly as the Eagles jumped out a 5-0 lead by the top of the second inning. The first two Marsh Valley batters scored in the opening inning, starting with junior-to-be Payton Campbell, who had a bruising trek home that began with a hit by pitch.

The batting success spilled into the second inning with the assistance of the Rebels. The first baserunner to score in the frame had a path that featured two wild pitches. The next runner scored after making first on a walk. Campbell finished the three-run inning with his second run of the game.

While the Eagles flourished at the plate, senior-to-be Caden May made sure the Rebels did not mount a comeback in a matchup he pitched all but the final out. Beside Poky’s three-run third inning, he held the Rebels hitless.

“Kept us off guard, kept the ball low in the strike zone. He pounded it,” Pocatello coach Jason Jones said. “That’s a good pitching performance by that kid. Give him credit. Tip your hat.”

While the Rebels are one of three Pocatello teams in either single-A or Double-A, all Marsh Valley has is one legion team for grades 8-12. Anderson said he hopes that Thursday’s success can help his wide-ranging team become cohesive.

“We have a small community, so we take just about anybody that can come throw a baseball,” Anderson said. “We’ve got some older kids on this team that can lead the team, and we’ve got a bunch of younger kids that are showing up.”

Marsh Valley’s next game in the tournament is 2 p.m. Friday against the Idaho Falls Bees, while Pocatello kicks the day off at 9 a.m. against Blackfoot’s single-A team.

The Rebels (8-11, 5-7 Area C) look to move above .500 in the end of pool play after going 1-1 in the first two days.

“We just came out and didn’t play to our capability and sometimes it happens,” Jones said. “We dug a hole, falling behind 5-0. That’s what it was.”