As the top seed, Malad baseball hosted the 4/5 District tournament where they put together a dominant stretch of games, rolling through Lighthouse Christian and Wendell with confidence and control on both sides of the ball to be crowned district champions.

Beginning with their game against the Lighthouse Christian team, Malad showed early composure before taking complete control. The Lions came out aggressive in the top of the first inning, loading the bases with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. But Malad pitcher Holdyn Higley delivered in a high-pressure moment, striking out two straight hitters before inducing a pop out to escape the jam unscathed.

That early defensive stand set the tone for the Dragons. In the second inning, Malad’s offense broke through with authority. Consecutive singles from Higley, Ethan Horsley, and Hudson Daniels quickly loaded the bases, and Ky Willie came through with a key hit that, combined with a defensive error, drove in two runs. Malad kept the pressure on with productive outs and aggressive baserunning, including contributions from Easton Green and Cale Briggs, while Carter Carey added an RBI single to cap a five-run inning.

From there, Higley settled in completely on the mound, mixing strikeouts with weak contact and consistently keeping the Lighthouse Christian team off balance. In contrast, the MHS team added to their lead in the third inning, taking advantage of another defensive error to score twice on a fielder’s choice and stretch the advantage further. The offense stayed active in the fourth, with Kurt Ward delivering a double and Hudson Daniels driving in two more runs to push the game out of reach at 10–0.

Rolling into their second game of the tournament, the Dragons brought the same dominating energy into their first matchup with Wendell, demonstrating again their ability to respond and take control quickly. The Trojans briefly tested the Dragons in the top of the first, reaching base via a walk and free pass situation that put pressure on the defense. However, Dawsyn Peterson, working on the mound, responded with poise, striking out two hitters and inducing a groundout to escape without allowing a run.

Malad immediately answered in the bottom half with an aggressive and disciplined approach at the plate.  Green, Briggs, and Peterson drew walks to load the bases without a hit, and the Dragons quickly turned pressure into production. Green scored on a steal of home, and additional baserunning chaos and defensive miscues allowed Briggs and Peterson to come across, while Ward added a key RBI to give Malad a 3–0 lead after one inning.

Peterson continued to control the game on the mound, striking out multiple hitters and keeping Wendell from building momentum. The offense kept building as well in the second inning, with Horsley and Daniels reaching base and Malad capitalizing through a mix of sacrifice flies, singles, hit-by-pitches, and aggressive baserunning. Carey added an important RBI single, and continued pressure on the bases helped extend the lead to 8–0 after just two innings.

Even when Wendell briefly tied the game in the third inning after a Malad error, the Dragons responded immediately.  Willie and Green sparked another offensive push, with Peterson and Carey driving in key runs to restore control. From there, Malad steadily pulled away, eventually securing a 12–2 victory behind balanced offense and steady pitching.

Going against Wendell for a second time in the championship game, Malad again demonstrated its ability to overwhelm an opponent quickly, this time with a different but equally effective formula. The game began with Wendell briefly creating pressure in the top of the first, but Peterson settled in once again, striking out two hitters and escaping the inning without damage.

The bottom half demonstrated Malad’s stellar offense with disciplined at-bats and aggressive baserunning. A series of walks loaded the bases, and the Dragons quickly took advantage of mistakes, scoring multiple runs through steals, defensive miscues, and timely contact. Ward and other contributors helped extend the early lead to 3–0 after one inning.

The offense broke the game open in the second and third innings, combining sacrifice flies, singles, hit-by-pitches, and continued pressure on the bases. Green delivered key extra-base hits, while Carey and others drove in multiple runs as the lead quickly grew into double digits.

The Dragon baseball team will next host the 3A State Regional South Qualifier, beginning May 8 between teams from Malad, Nampa Christian and Lighthouse Christian.  The two day tournament will determine the one team to advance to the state tournament.