The Knights (25-5) got to Nicodemus in the first inning, with a David Nathan double to left scoring both runs. The sophomore pitcher settled in after that, however, and Skyview started to pick away at Bishop Kelly’s lead.

We wanted State, and we got it! It is a great feeling to be able to leave your senior year and go out as State Champs!

Bishop Kelly got a lotof both — late-game heroics and a dominant start from senior David Nathan — inits afternoon thriller. Freshman pinch-hitter Chris Berry’s walk-off singlewith one out in the seventh was the difference in Bishop Kelly’s 12th one-runwin in 13 one-run games this year.

“They do it to giveold Coach Sut a little more gray hair,” coach Bobby Sutcliffe said.

Bishop Kelly Varsity Baseball Team (20-5) lead by Head Coach Bobby Sutcliffe will play Emmett (12-13) at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Columbia with a berth in the state tournament on the line.

Game highlights against Kuna at Rodeo Park in Nampa came from Bishop Kelly starter Justice Mariscal as he struck out nine and walked three, and drove in two runs - a home-run bomb over the left-field wall.

Marcus Wood drew a bases-loaded walk with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, scoring David Nathan (DNATE) with the winning run as Bishop Kelly topped Kuna 8-7. 

DNATE  also picked up the win on the mound. He entered the game in the sixth inning, struck out three and walked none to improve to 6-0. He also was 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs.

Go Knights!

No-hitter surprises BK pitcherWilliam Love
wlove@idahopress.comFriday, April 25th, 2008NAMPA — After recording the final out in a 7-0 victory over Skyview, Bishop Kelly pitcher David Nathan celebrated with his teammates what he thought was a one-hit shutout.

Nathan’s teammates knew something the senior righthander didn’t. The hit credited to Skyview on the scoreboard was done so incorrectly, Nathan had actually tossed a no-hitter.“I thought they were joking,” Nathan said when he heard the news. “I looked at them and said, ‘Are you kidding?’ They said, ‘No, it was an error.’ It still hasn’t sunk in.”

Bishop Kelly head coach Bobby Sutcliff said the plan for Nathan entering the game was to get ahead early by throwing first-pitch strikes. He did a good job of that, starting off nearly 65 percent of Skyview’s 27 at-bats with a strike.

“Coach (Ryan) Bobo teams can flat hit the ball,” Sutcliff said of Skyview. “I have coached against him for five years now, and we knew coming into this game we had to pitch backwards a little bit to where we throw curveballs in fastball situations. We wanted to pitch backwards, but more importantly throw first pitch strikes.”

And is the case with most no hitters, a little defense always helps out too. Skyview’s best chance for a hit came in the seventh inning when shortstop Justice Mariscal sprawled out to make a diving catch on a Luke Austin bloop that appeared ready to breakup the no-hit bid.

After the game, Bobo could only tip his hat to Nathan’s performance.


“He did a good job of keeping us off balance,” Bobo said of Nathan, who finished with six strikeouts, three walks and hit one batter.

Despite the no-hitter, Skyview still had opportunities to get in the score column. The Hawks had a runner in scoring position three times and had there best chance to score come in the third inning with runners at second and third with no outs.

Nathan, however, was able to induce popouts from Kyle Holcomb and Josh Sukeena, and struck out David Nicodemus, to quash the scoring threat.

Bishop Kelly finished the game with two errors, but it was three errors that helped lead to Skyview’s demise.

Two errors in the third inning put runners at second and third, with both scoring on a single by Nic Buich. Then a throwing error on Marcus Wood bunt attempt in the fourth allowed two more Bishop Kelly players to score.

“If they would have made a few cleaner plays — the score did not indicate what kind of a close ballgame it was,” Sutcliff said. “If they eliminate one or two mistakes, we are battling and biting our nails down the stretch.”

Bishop Kelly managed 10 hits on Nicodemus, who went seven innings for Skyview (7-4 4A SIC, 13-8). Mariscal, Nathan and Randy Hall each finished with two hits for the Knights (9-2, 17-4 overall).

The two teams continue their two-game series tonight at Bishop Kelly.