North Fremont Completes Perfect Nuclear Conference Season as East Idaho Prep Softball Delivers Big Innings Across the Board
EASTERN IDAHO — North Fremont capped an unbeaten Nuclear Conference regular season on Tuesday, April 28, as high-scoring games and dominant offensive performances defined a full slate of prep softball action across East Idaho and Bonneville County.
The Huskies closed out the Nuclear Conference schedule at 8-0 in conference play and 16-6 overall with a dominant 15-0 win over Ririe. Lexi Peebles homered and drove in five runs, while London Marsden also went deep for North Fremont. Ririe dropped to 4-16 overall and 2-5 in conference play.
Bonneville Holds 5A District 6 Lead; Shelley, Rigby Post Big Wins
In the 5A District 6 race, Bonneville remains atop the standings after a 3-1 win over Idaho Falls. Gracie Longhurst delivered a complete-game performance, striking out 10 batters. Alli Sutherland knocked in two runs to provide the offensive support. The Bees improved to 15-6 overall and 7-2 in conference, while the Tigers fell to 8-13, 3-6. Reggi Hawker doubled in the loss for Idaho Falls.
Shelley put up a lopsided 14-3 win over Skyline in another 5A District 6 matchup, plating six runs in the first inning and seven more in the third to all but end the contest early. Kaidy Lloyd homered and finished with three RBIs, while Elsie Lewis and Carlie Hurd each added three RBIs of their own. The Russets improved to 11-7 overall and 4-5 in conference. Bella Jensen went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for Skyline, which dropped to 12-10, 2-7.
Rigby continued its offensive surge with a conference sweep of rival Madison, winning the opener 17-6 and the nightcap 19-7. In game one, a nine-run first inning set the tone, with Sam Bishop driving in three runs and Paige Ringel hitting a home run. In game two, Evelyn Robins homered and finished with five RBIs as the Trojans improved to 13-6 overall and 5-4 in conference. Madison fell to a difficult 1-19, 0-10 on the season.
South East Idaho, 6A District 5-6 Action Brings More Fireworks
In South East Idaho Conference play, Pocatello swept Century in dominating fashion, winning 15-4 and 6-0 in a doubleheader. The Thunder used a 10-run fourth inning to blow open the first game, then scored six in the first inning of the nightcap to put that contest out of reach early. Matti Baca drove in three runs across the twin bill. Pocatello improved to 15-5, 2-0 in conference, while Century dropped to 1-12, 0-2.
The 6A District 5-6 race produced one of the afternoon’s most competitive matchups as Highland and Thunder Ridge split a high-scoring doubleheader. Highland won the opener 10-9, rallying with two runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth to secure the win. Cedar Lacey knocked in the eventual game-winner on a fielder’s choice. Thunder Ridge answered in the second game, scoring four runs in each of the first three innings to win 17-11 and snap Highland’s five-game win streak. Brystol Burrup and Lacey homered for Highland, which stands at 16-5-1 overall and 8-1-1 in conference. The Titans improved to 11-9-1, 5-3-1.
Hillcrest extended its winning streak to five games with an 8-5 victory over Blackfoot, breaking a close game open with six runs in the fifth inning. A bases-clearing triple by Marki Chilton headlined the rally, and home runs from Mya Weatherly and Savannah Johnson added to the damage. The Knights moved to 14-8, 6-3 in conference. Shea Staley and Traylee Reid homered for the Broncos, who fell to 13-8, 5-4.
In a dramatic finish in the Nuclear Conference, West Jefferson edged Salmon 14-13 when Remee Vandais delivered a walk-off bunt single in the bottom of the seventh that was followed by a Salmon error to score the winning run. Vandais finished with four hits for the Panthers, who improved to 5-11, 1-6. Baylee Halle and Danielle Darrah each had two RBIs for Salmon, which dropped to 6-9-1, 3-5.
What Comes Next
With the Nuclear Conference regular season complete, attention turns to district seeding and postseason positioning across all classifications. In 5A District 6, Bonneville continues to set the pace while teams like Rigby and Shelley look to make their cases heading into the postseason bracket. Fans and families following East Idaho prep sports can find additional coverage through Idaho News for statewide sports and education stories, and through the Idaho News Network for broader regional context. For a look at other community events happening across Bonneville County this spring, check out coverage of the fourth annual Mackay craft fair, where local vendors and shoppers come together to support a local cause.