Twin Falls baseball hopes the third time is the charm against Bishop Kelly

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — The 4A state baseball tournament starts Thursday at the College of Southern Idaho.

For nearly the 20th straight year, the Twin Falls High School baseball team is making an appearance at the state tournament.

The third-seeded Bruins begin their tourney journey at 1 p.m. Thursday against Bishop Kelly.

The Knights have knocked Twin Falls out of the last two state tournaments, including a 15-0 win in last year’s 4A state championship game.

There’s definitely a revenge factor for this Bruin team, and this year, Twin Falls will have their ace going on the mound, Nolan Hardesty.

There’s always a discussion of who to pitch when in these state tournaments, but coach Tim Stadelmeir knows you have to win all three games.

“The one thing that I have learned in my tenure in doing this is that if you can’t win on that first day and you’re looking to the next day it always seems to bite you,” Stadelmeir said.

The aforementioned ace, Hardesty, has been money this season. He’s allowed just three earned runs in 55.1 innings. He carries a 0.38 Earned Run Average.

The state tournament, though, is a different animal. Teams are there for a reason.

“Obviously nerves, a little bit coming in, going in knowing you’re going to have to produce and do what you’ve done all season, but really once I get on that mound, all the nerves will be away, and I’ll continue to do what I do,” Hardesty said.

The Twin Falls American Legion team does play home games out at CSI, so the Bruins will have plenty of familiarity with Skip Walker Field.

Twin Falls last won a state title in 2017.

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