In their opening week of the 2025 baseball season, the Malad Dragons split their games, taking the victory in Blackfoot against the Snake River Panthers while swallowing the loss at home as they hosted the Century Diamondbacks.  Regardless of the results, the MHS team is more than ready to take the field again this season.

Taking their first game on the road, the Dragons travelled to Snake River High School on Wednesday, March 12.  The Panthers held the lead to begin the game, picking up their first run just before snagging their third out.  It wasn’t until the top of the third inning that Malad put up a run on the scoreboard.  With an out ahead of him, Ky Willie made it on base with a bunt.  Two hitters down the line, Carter Blaisdell knocked a triple to center field to punch in Willie.  

Into the bottom of the third, the Dragons held the Panthers scoreless led by pitcher Kurt Ward on the pitcher’s mound.  The hurler put back to back strikeouts before the pitch got away from him and sent the next batter to first.  It didn’t matter though as Easton Green picked up a pop fly on the next play to end the inning.  

Brycen Howe got the offense rolling as they took to hitting, slamming a double to right field.  Holdyn Higley followed with a single line drive hit to center, advancing Howe to third base.  In position to bat in Howe, Green hit a bunt towards the pitcher’s mound, getting on base, advancing Higley and plus taking the lead with Howe’s run.

Making the same play work for them again, Carter Carey hit another bunt to the pitcher to get on base.  With the bases loaded, Willie went to bat, taking his base after four wide throws from the Snake River hurler, and sending in Higley for the score.  Green followed in kind across home plate as Cale Briggs was walked on base.  With the bases loaded again, Blaisdell hit a double ground ball to right field, punching in Carey, Willie and Briggs, the last making it across the plate as the ball was being thrown to home.  Suddenly, the Dragons had taken a significant lead now up 7-1.

Blaisdell and Showell scored two final runs for Malad before the inning closed.  Blaisdell, stealing third  as Showell was walked on base, ran in the final length as Howe hit a hard grounder.  Having already advanced to second on defensive indifference, Showell advanced to third on Blaisdell’s scoring run, putting runners now on first and third.  Seeing Howe suddenly take off for second base and the Panther’s take the bait, Showell headed to home plate to score on the steal.  Malad put up their final out of the inning, ending it up 9-1.

Snake River made some progress as they went to bat, adding two runs to their score.  The MHS infielders were quick to snag the outs they needed- Briggs picking up the out at second base off the assist by Showell, Green catching the fly ball to right field, and Showell getting the final out off the assist by catcher Carey as the Panther’s attempted to steal third base.

Across the remaining innings, Malad was the only to put up a final score.  In the top of the sixth, Briggs, the first batter of the inning, tripled on a 2-2 count to right field.  As Malad picked up their second out of inning, Briggs completed his turn around the bases to put the Dragons up 10-3.

Missing out on their Burley game due to weather, the MHS baseball team next played Monday, March 17, their first game in Malad for the season.  Century put up a tough defense, holding the Dragons scoreless in the first four innings.  On the flip side, the Diamondbacks scored one run in the opening inning, although it could have been two had Carey not caught the long throw from shortstop Briggs to tag the runner out attempting to steal home.

Century grew their lead in the third inning as they put up four runs.  Malad finally made it on the scoreboard in the button of the fifth.  Carey, getting on base after four straight pitches outside the strike zone, aggressively made his way around the bases, stealing second and later advancing to third as Willie was up to bat.  Down the lineup one more hitter, Carey stole home as Willie made the steal at second.  

Unfortunately, the Dragons were unable to follow with any additional runs, the Diamondbacks taking the win 1-5.  

Analyzing their two opening games, the Dragons saw a lot of good play happening on the field- strong fielding, good hits and strategic base running.  As the team continues to pull together this season and tight up their game, the next several weeks are sure to be promising for Dragon fans.

The MHS baseball team will hit the road again for their next game as they play against Box Elder on Wednesday, March 19.

Malad @ Snake River

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H

Malad  0 0 1 8 0 1 0 10 9

Snake River  1 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 5

Lineup AB R H RBI BB

Cale Briggs 3 2 1 1 1

Carter Blaisdell 4 1 2 4 0

Brady Showell 3 1 0 1 1

Kurt Ward 3 0 0 0 0

Rydon Montgomery 1 0 0 0 0

Brycen Howe 4 1 1 0 0

Holden Higley 4 1 2 0 0

Easton Green 4 1 1 1 0

Carter Carey 3 1 1 0 0

Ky Willie 2 2 1 1 1

TEAM TOTALS  31 10 9 8 3

Pitching IP H R BB SO

Kurt Ward 3.0 1 3 2 3

Rydon Montgomery 1.0 2 0 1 0

Brady Showell 1.2 1 0 2 2

Brycen Howe 1.1 1 0 1 2

TEAM TOTALS 7.0 5 3 6 7

Malad vs Century

Monday, March 17, 2025

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H

Century  1 0 4 0 0 0 0 5 5

Malad  0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 4

Lineup AB R H RBI BB

Easton Green 2 0 0 0 1

Cale Briggs 3 0 0 0 0

Carter Blaisdell 3 0 1 0 0

Brady Showell 3 0 1 0 0

Brycen Howe 2 0 1 0 1

Carter Carey 1 1 0 0 2

Ky Willie 3 0 1 0 0

Kurt Ward 3 0 0 0 0

Holden Higley 1 0 0 0 0

Rydon Montgomery 2 0 0 0 0

TEAM TOTALS  23 1 4 0 4

Pitching IP H R BB SO

Carter Blaisdell 2.0 3 1 3 2

Kurt Ward 0.0 1 4 3 0

Brady Showell 4.0 0 0 1 5

Brycen Howe 1.0 1 0 0 2