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It had been a rough stretch for the baseball program at Nampa High upon moving up from the 4A Southern Idaho Conference to the 5A Southern Idaho Conference. So much so, in fact, that the Bulldogs failed to win a conference game for two seasons.
That streak ended this season when Dylan Blass delivered six innings of one-run baseball on the mound for Nampa in a 3-2 win over the Boise Braves.
Coming out of spring break, the Bulldogs had a 2-2 record in SIC play and, even in its losses, have continued to show improvement as the season moves along.
Head Coach Marcos Sanchez visited with IdahoSports.com in our “Three Questions” feature about his program and how his players have begun to shift the momentum of the Bulldog program:
1) What has been the biggest difference between this season and last for the Bulldogs?
There have been several factors between last season and this season. One being the experience of our players. We had zero seniors last year and we returned all of our players. We had several underclassman play a significant amount of innings. Even though they had the skill set to compete at the 5A level, the physical maturity was still developing. During the offseason these players worked very hard at building strength and speed which has allowed them to catch up to the pace of our league. We also have younger players coming up through the program that are making positive contributions to the team.
2) What was it like for the kids to finally get that win that broke the losing streak?
Our players were excited when they got that first win and broke that losing streak. With that in mind they were not surprised. We are working hard on the process that manufactures success and not just the outcomes. Focusing on the process allowed us to redirect our focus from the streak. Our players and coaches know what we are capable of and know winning is a product of people working hard together.
3) Even in your early losses this season, you were very competitive with some good opponents ... how close is your team to moving into the upper tier of the SIC?
Our league is tough, bottom line. Movement in the standings means the front runners must lose some games and, that we must continue to win. Part of the equation we do not have much control over. We are working to improve on our offensive production and reducing our defensive mistakes. If we can do those two things, the results on the scoreboard will be favorable.
Click HERE to view Nampa’s schedule and results to date. There is also a tab on this link that lists the updated 5A Southern Idaho Conference baseball standings.
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