Bandits split doubleheader against Upper Valley
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Falls Bandits split a doubleheader with the Upper Valley Bulldogs Tuesday night, winning 10-7 in game one and losing a one-run nailbiter 7-6 in game two. Despite the loss in game two, the bats stayed hot for the Bandits as Idaho Falls scored 16 runs total in the doubleheader.
Game one was tied at one in the third inning when the Bandits took over. With two runners on base and two outs, Nate Rose laced a double to score both runners and give Idaho Falls a 3-1 lead. The next batter, McGwire Jephson, drove in Rose with an RBI single to make it a 4-1 Bandits lead.
After Upper Valley cut the deficit to two in the fourth inning, Idaho Falls answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. An Eliot Jones double brought home Logan Taggart to make it a 5-2 game. Then, Kai Howell drove in Jones with an RBI single.
Despite a late, seventh-inning comeback from the bulldogs, the Bandits held the lead for the rest of the game to take game one 10-7.
Game two was a different story. After Upper Valley took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, Idaho Falls got to work in the bottom of the first. With two on and nobody out, Jephson brought in two runs after reaching on an error to tie the game at two.
Two batters later, Chandler Robinson stepped up to the plate with two runners on and one out. With the runners going on the pitch, Robinson put down a perfect squeeze bunt to score Jephson. On the same play, Ayson Webb got the wheels turning and snuck by a tag from the catcher to also score on the play and give the Bandits a 4-2 lead.
But the Bulldogs mounted another comeback, and this one paid off for Upper Valley. Trailing 6-3, the Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game going into the seventh inning. With two runners on and two outs, a two-run single flipped the score and gave Upper Valley a 7-6 lead. Bulldogs held on in the bottom half of the inning to win game two.
Bandits are back in action Tuesday, July 13 when they take on Blackfoot in a doubleheader at Melaleuca Field. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m. with game two slated for approximately 7:15 p.m.
