Red Devils face defending baseball champs

The defending high school state champs showed why they are among the top favorites again this year when they took on the still-new-kids-on-the-block from Noxon-Thompson Falls this past Saturday in Polson.

The Pirates made short work of the Red Devils, beating them 17-1 in a mercy rule game called after three innings. 

After holding Noxon-T Falls scoreless in the top of the first inning, the now 2-0 Pirates exploded for nine runs in the bottom half of the initial inning.  The held the Red Devils without a run again in the top of the second inning, then added to their formidable lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. 

Noxon clawed back in the top of the third, avoiding a shutout when Kade Hill slapped a single through the infield, scoring senior Bryson McCormick, who had walked earlier in the inning for the Red Devils only run. 

Polson added five more runs in the bottom of the third to take a 17-1 lead and invoke the 10-plus runs Mercy rule and end the game after three innings of play. 

Hill and Shane Hatchell each had a hit for Noxon-T Falls, which slipped to 0-2 on the year with the loss. 

Polson had three players with two hits in the three-inning contest, including Landon Shoemake and Maddox Bird, both of whom drove in three runs each.  Wyatt Wadsworth was 2-3 with two RBIs for the Pirates. 

The Red Devils were scheduled to take on Sanders County rival Plains-Hot Springs Monday (April 7) in Noxon.  Their next game after that is a road game against the Bonners Ferry Badgers this Saturday in Idaho.