After a less than stellar effort at last week’s Area C district tournament in Idaho Falls, the Pocatello Razorbacks entered Thursday night’s opening game of  the American Legion ‘A’ state tournament looking to prove that they belonged with some of the best teams in the state.

    The Razorbacks earned their spot in the tournament by hosting the event and when the team took the field at Halliwell Park Thursday night, the goal was to prove that the performance at the district tournament was a fluke.

    It took just one inning for the Razorbacks to show the Halliwell Park that the team meant business as it played one of the best games of the season in a 14-4, six-inning win over Emmett.

    “That was the team that we expected to see,” Razorbacks head coach Mike Green said. “That was not the team that played at districts last week.”

    A six-run first inning set the tone for the offense.

    The Razorbacks had four RBI singles in the inning that saw 10 batters come to the plate.

    “We have been good in the first inning all year long,” Green said. “We talked to the team about playing a complete game not just one inning. Then we reiterated what Christian Atkinson said at our team banquet Wednesday night: Don’t give away at-bats. And I think for the most part we did a good job.”

    The six-run cushion was more than enough for starting pitcher Zach Arzola.

    Arzola cruised through the opening three innings allowing just two hit and two walks. None of those four runners ever reached third base.

    Arzola ran into some trouble in the fourth when he loaded the bases to start the frame. Emmett scored its four runs on a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double by Orlando Rodriguez.

    Rodriguez was thrown out while trying to extend his hit to a triple on a great double relay throw from left fielder Justin Stiffler to shortstop Matt Murphy to third baseman Greg Casper, who tagged Rodriguez out.

    The defense that was the Achilles heel for the Razorbacks all season came up huge Thursday.

    Razorback defenders made all the plays they should have and even a few they should not have, highlighted by a diving catch by Stiffler in left field in the third that took away an extra base hit.

    “That team could hit,” Green said of Emmett. “That is some older kids who can hit the ball and Zach did a good job pounding the zone and we made the plays we needed to make.”

    The offense managed to score runs in all but the fifth inning in the game.

    Green said the team did a good job of getting runners on base and getting the clutch hit to move them around.

    When the team failed to score in the fifth it was not because of lack of opportunities. The Razorbacks loaded the bases with one out but could not the big hit.

    Arzola finished his complete game with five strikeouts. He also went 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

    Murphy and Andy Burtenshaw each had three hits and an RBI for the Razorbacks.

    Pocatello plays Idaho Falls today at 7 p.m. at Halliwell Park. By Jason Enes

jenes@journalnet.com

    After a less than stellar effort at last week’s Area C district tournament in Idaho Falls, the Pocatello Razorbacks entered Thursday night’s opening game of  the American Legion ‘A’ state tournament looking to prove that they belonged with some of the best teams in the state.

    The Razorbacks earned their spot in the tournament by hosting the event and when the team took the field at Halliwell Park Thursday night, the goal was to prove that the performance at the district tournament was a fluke.

    It took just one inning for the Razorbacks to show the Halliwell Park that the team meant business as it played one of the best games of the season in a 14-4, six-inning win over Emmett.

    “That was the team that we expected to see,” Razorbacks head coach Mike Green said. “That was not the team that played at districts last week.”

    A six-run first inning set the tone for the offense.

    The Razorbacks had four RBI singles in the inning that saw 10 batters come to the plate.

    “We have been good in the first inning all year long,” Green said. “We talked to the team about playing a complete game not just one inning. Then we reiterated what Christian Atkinson said at our team banquet Wednesday night: Don’t give away at-bats. And I think for the most part we did a good job.”

    The six-run cushion was more than enough for starting pitcher Zach Arzola.

    Arzola cruised through the opening three innings allowing just two hit and two walks. None of those four runners ever reached third base.

    Arzola ran into some trouble in the fourth when he loaded the bases to start the frame. Emmett scored its four runs on a bases-loaded walk and a bases-clearing double by Orlando Rodriguez.

    Rodriguez was thrown out while trying to extend his hit to a triple on a great double relay throw from left fielder Justin Stiffler to shortstop Matt Murphy to third baseman Greg Casper, who tagged Rodriguez out.

    The defense that was the Achilles heel for the Razorbacks all season came up huge Thursday.

    Razorback defenders made all the plays they should have and even a few they should not have, highlighted by a diving catch by Stiffler in left field in the third that took away an extra base hit.

    “That team could hit,” Green said of Emmett. “That is some older kids who can hit the ball and Zach did a good job pounding the zone and we made the plays we needed to make.”

    The offense managed to score runs in all but the fifth inning in the game.

    Green said the team did a good job of getting runners on base and getting the clutch hit to move them around.

    When the team failed to score in the fifth it was not because of lack of opportunities. The Razorbacks loaded the bases with one out but could not the big hit.

    Arzola finished his complete game with five strikeouts. He also went 1-for-3 at the plate with three RBI.

    Murphy and Andy Burtenshaw each had three hits and an RBI for the Razorbacks.

    Pocatello plays Idaho Falls today at 7 p.m. at Halliwell Park.

Pocatello 14, Emmett 4, 6 inn

Emmett    000    400 — 4 7 3

Pocatello    622    202    — 14 13 1

Emmett —  W. Loy, Brinkerhoff (3) and Rodriguez. Pocatello — Arzola and Hall. 2B — Rodriguez (E), G. Gustin (E), Casper (P), Burtenshaw (P), Stiffler (P). 3B — Atkinson (P).