IDAHO FALLS − In her first three at-bats Thursday during the 5A High Country Conference softball tournament championship, Blackfoot’s Keslyn Reid failed to reach first base.

In her fourth at-bat, Keslyn touched all four bags after a towering two-run home run over the Bonneville center field wall, providing the Broncos a late, 9-8 lead.

Blackfoot would tack on an insurance run, winning 10-8 on the Bees’ diamond to claim its second district title in as many years.

“Honestly, I was just thinking in that moment, my team needed it, for sure,” Keslyn Reid said. “… I thought it was really cool to bring the energy for my team.”

Despite defeating top-seeded Bonneville (18-9) during Wednesday’s double-elimination semifinal, Thursday’s affair was far from a sure thing for three-seed Blackfoot (19-9).

“This team has kept me right on the edge every time. It’s like they want to make everything so close. Just, go out and win it,” head coach Tammy Sorensen said.

Keslyn’s older sister, Traylee, pitched the first five innings before returning to close out the seventh. Blackfoot had accumulated a 6-2 lead after four thanks to a Mady Olsen groundout RBI, a Traylee Reid RBI triple and balls in play that led to defensive miscues.

However, the Bees hung around.

Gracie Longhurst delivered a chopper through the left side of the infield to eventually score Alli Sutherland; Alyvia Rudd ripped a single up the middle during the next at-bat, and Lila Coffman’s RBI single up the gut capped a three-run fifth for Bonneville, cutting the Broncos’ lead to 6-5.

The Bees’ defense did its job in the top of the fifth, paving the way for another big inning in the bottom of the sixth. A Mckynlie Cook bunt single and a Sutherland base hit set Longhurst up nicely with two on, none out.

Longhurst continued her torrid ways in the batter’s box, mashing a double over the center fielder’s head to retake the lead, this time 7-6. Keeli Miller would add an RBI single, and the potential of a Game 2, winner-take-all showdown grew inevitable.

But this is not the same Blackfoot team from earlier in the spring.

“We’d been kind of up-and-down and just lately, we’ve come together,” Sorensen said. “We’ve had some pretty ugly games during the season and kind of given up. But, they’ve come really together lately.”

Bonneville intentionally walked the dangerous leadoff hitter Emma McGuire, and Traylee Reid added to her output with an RBI double.

Keslyn Reid’s two-run shot sent the Broncos dugout into a frenzy; a Cassie Duke bunt provided that insurance run and Traylee Reid shut the door in the bottom of the seventh.

This is the first year for junior Traylee at Blackfoot, bringing along her little sister. They have made all the difference for Sorensen’s squad — a squad that she knew, during a summer evaluation, could make noise in the playoffs.

Traylee would end the contest 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and pick up the win from the circle, completing six innings of work while striking out seven, walking four and allowing six earned runs.

“We always have each other’s backs... That’s what we’re all about,” Traylee said.

Keslyn, meanwhile, needed only the moonshot to solidify herself forever in Bronco softball lore.

“When we came to Blackfoot, the team was very welcoming and they all brought us together into the team,” Keslyn said.