Slumps can root and fester in the mind, destroying confidence and self-belief.

    But sometimes all it takes is a chance to find a hit with the bases loaded and any of those lingering issues fall away like dust in the wind.

    The Runnin’ Rebels held off the Jackson Hole Giants 7-5 Saturday to claim the Pocatello American Legion Invitational at Halliwell Park.

    The Rebels had blasted Jackson by seven runs the first day of the tournament, but the Giants jumped out to an early two-run lead in the first inning Saturday.

    That was the situation the Runnin’ Rebels’ Braden Palmer stepped into at the plate in the bottom of the second. Poky was down 2-0, but the bases were loaded. A prime spot to get the Rebels back on track after losing to the Idaho Falls Marlins the night before.

    But Palmer, who just graduated from Century High School, was hitless so far in legion baseball.

    Forget that. Palmer slapped a two-RBI single to the right-field gap that dropped in between three Giant defensemen. With that, Palmer’s hitless steak was stopped dead cold and the Runnin’ Rebels tied the game.

    “He’s just going to keep getting better now, because we’re going to give him opportunities,” said Runnin’ Rebels head coach Bob Hunt.

    Some offensive support was a big help for Poky’s starting pitcher, Chase Teter, too.

    The Runnin’ Rebels added three more runs in the third and two more in the fourth inning to open up a four-run margin. Bodie Cooper finished the game 3 for 3 from the plate with two runs scored and an RBI.

    Cole Mansanerez had a two singles and Logan Schmidt batted in a couple runners courtesy of an RBI bunt in the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

    Teter, through four innings, struck out three, walked four, gave up six hits and three runs. Not bad for a ball player his head coach went to at the mound in a pinch because some of Pocatello’s top arms are out with injuries, soreness or they were short on rest.

    In fact, Teter’s appearance at the bump Saturday, and Palmer’s pitching effort Friday night in the loss to the Marlins, are both examples where Hunt and the Rebels discovered there’s greater pitching depth on the roster than they realized.

    “It actually turned out to our advantage now,” Hunt said.

    The first time Pocatello beat Jackson, the Giants jumped out to an eight-run lead early before the Rebels roared back, eventually winning 16-9.

    Saturday, Jackson did not fold. The Giants pegged Aaron Pope — who entered to relieve Teter — for a run in the fifth and another in the decisive seventh.

    Jackson managed to place runners on first and third in the final inning before Pope struck out the last two batters of the game, severing the rally.

    “Jackson Hole is an explosive team,” Hunt said. “They’re one of those kinds of teams that if you give them a little bit of daylight, they’ll run with it.”

    Pocatello improves to 9-4 for the season. The Runnin’ Rebels host Jerome Tuesday and travel to Reno, Nev., Thursday for the High Sierra Tournament that spans through Sunday.

Razorbacks 5, Okotoks (Can.) 3

Razorbacks 10, Wood River 1

    The Razorbacks are the last undefeated team in the Nampa Invitational Legion Baseball Tournament, and they play for the championship today against Northern Utah at 2 p.m.

    Saturday, the Razorbacks knocked off Okotoks, Canada, 5-3.

    “Probably one of the better teams we’ve seen this year,” said Pocatello head coach Dan McCaskill. “... Everybody has filled in and played really well.”

    After beating Okotoks, the Razorbacks turned around and walloped Wood River 10-1 with Mason Foltz on the mound.

Runnin’ Rebels 7, Jackson 5

Jackson    200 110 1 — 5 9 1

Runnin’ Rebels    023 200 0 — 7 13 2

Jackson — Braiden Jorgenson and Sean Riley. Runnin’ Rebels — Chase Teter, Aaron Pope (5) and Bodie Cooper, Cole Mansanerez (5). 2B — Cole Critchfield (J), Preston Hadfield (J).