Hillcrest Holds Off Idaho Falls 7-6 to Remain in Conference Title Chase

Knights' offense powers them to key victory over Tigers, keeping them within striking distance of league-leading Bonneville.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:04am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a high school baseball game, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in vibrant colors, conveying the competitive energy and drama of the close conference matchup.Hillcrest's high-powered offense and resilient defense keep them in the hunt for the 5A District 6 conference title.Idaho Falls Today

The Hillcrest High School baseball team defeated Idaho Falls 7-6 on Thursday, improving their conference record to 5-1 and keeping them in the hunt for the 5A District 6 title. Hillcrest jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, highlighted by a two-run homer from Cole Croft, but Idaho Falls battled back to tie the game at 4-4 in the third inning. The Knights regained the lead with RBI hits from Henry Smith and pulled away with another Smith RBI double in the fourth. Idaho Falls scored two runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game, but Hillcrest held on for the victory.

Why it matters

Hillcrest has been a perennial underdog in the competitive 5A District 6 conference, but this season they have emerged as a surprise contender, thanks in large part to their potent offense. The win over Idaho Falls keeps them within a half-game of league-leading Bonneville, setting up an intriguing race for the conference title down the stretch.

The details

Hillcrest jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the early innings, with the big blow coming on a two-run homer by Cole Croft in the first inning. Idaho Falls battled back to tie the game at 4-4 in the third, but Hillcrest regained the lead on an RBI single by Henry Smith in the bottom of the third. Smith then delivered an RBI double in the fourth to put the Knights up 7-4, which proved to be the winning margin. Idaho Falls scored two runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game, but Hillcrest's pitching and defense held on for the victory.

  • Croft hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give Hillcrest an early 2-0 lead.
  • Idaho Falls scored three runs in the third inning to tie the game at 4-4.
  • Smith's RBI single in the third put Hillcrest back on top 5-4.
  • Smith's RBI double in the fourth extended Hillcrest's lead to 7-4.
  • Idaho Falls scored two runs in the sixth inning to make it a 7-6 game.

The players

Cole Croft

A Hillcrest player who hit a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Knights an early lead.

Henry Smith

A Hillcrest player who had two key RBI hits, including a single in the third and a double in the fourth, to power the Knights' offense.

Nelson Kunz

An Idaho Falls player who hit a run-scoring double in the third inning to tie the game at 4-4.

Hudson Palmer

An Idaho Falls player who hit two doubles and scored a run and drove in an RBI for the Tigers.

Nick Reichelt

The head coach of the Hillcrest High School baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“We're firing on all cylinders. We're scoring lots of runs which takes a lot of the stress off the defense and pitching. We're working on the pitching and defense … we want to make sure we're throwing strikes and really attacking the zone, but our offense is giving us great chances.”

— Nick Reichelt, Head Coach, Hillcrest High School

“I think we mesh very well together. We have one of the most competitive conferences in the state so it's hard to go win games. This year we're really figuring it out and competing with everybody.”

— Henry Smith, Hillcrest High School Player

What’s next

The two teams will meet again on Friday for a rematch.

The takeaway

Hillcrest's surprise emergence as a conference title contender this season has been fueled by their potent offense, which has allowed them to overcome their past struggles and keep pace with perennial powerhouse Bonneville. The Knights' ability to win close games like this one against Idaho Falls shows they have the mettle to make a deep postseason run.