‘Finish it’: Roy ace Skidmore determined to close prep career with culture in mind
Skidmore hangs shutout on Weber as he, seniors brace for region
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- Roy High’s Parker Skidmore delivers a pitch against Weber High during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Roy High’s Landon Hogge, left, and Bridger Lopshire, right, pictured during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Roy High’s Lincoln Baty pictured during a nonregion baseball contest against Weber High on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Roy High’s Logan Vorwaller hits a Weber High pitch foul during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Roy High’s Cache Summers leads off as Weber High delivers a pitch during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Weber High coach Eric Nelson pictured during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- Roy High gathers after defeating Weber High 10-0 in a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- A Roy High ballcap rests on the bench of the home dugout during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
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- A view of the Roy High backstop during a nonregion baseball contest on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Roy High School in Roy.
ROY — Roy High senior Parker Skidmore is throwing strikes worry-free these days.
The long, bewildering recruiting process saw Roy’s senior ace ultimately sign with Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake North, Washington, in January. As of March, Skidmore is dishing out some of his best stuff as his final season takes off.
Skidmore levied 10 strikeouts and shut out Weber, allowing five hits to blank the visitors 10-0 on Friday, the senior’s second shutout to begin the regular season. The Royals (3-3) unloaded late to run-rule the Warriors (0-5), led by junior Bridger Lopshire (3 for 3).
Senior Landon Hogge (3-4, 2 RBI), junior Logan Vorwaller (0-2, 2 RBI), freshman Julian Teran 2-2, (2 RBI), and senior Cache Summers (0-2, RBI) combined for seven RBIs. Teran ended the contest by doubling into left field in the bottom of the sixth.
It’s a much-needed win, too, snapping Roy’s three-game losing skid after opening the season 2-0. Had that game gone to the seventh, Skidmore said he’d have taken the mound and finished the job.
“That’s just the way I was taught at a young age,” Skidmore said. “If you start something, finish it. And with it being such a big game, and us wanting to gain momentum going into region, I just wanted to make sure we could secure the win today.”
A Yankees fan, Skidmore models a lot of his game off three-time All-Star and fellow lefty Max Fried, for, as Roy’s senior points out, a “tall and lanky” build aligning with his own.
But Skidmore credits his work ethic to his father, DJ Skidmore, originally from Florida and once a ballplayer himself before moving to Utah. But it’s here where Skidmore linked with his current pitching instructor, Jeff Schultz, a former teacher at Roy and right-hander at BYU in the aughts.
Skidmore, producing two hits of his own Friday against Weber, said everything feels a bit sharper this season, from his routine to his pitch catalog. He trusts his fastball best, but eighth-year Roy skipper Monty Vorwaller personally enjoys watching the senior’s slider.
“He’s throwing well, hitting well and he’s matured a lot, and getting the college thing out of the way was huge because that’s always nerve-racking,” Vorwaller said. “They feel like they have to perform to get that scholarship, but he’s already proven that (and) he’s pitching great.”
Just a couple of months away from graduation, Skidmore has tapped former Northern State (South Dakota) right-hander Chase Tunstall, now head coach of Big Bend in Washington State, to guide his own foray into college baseball next fall when his prep career is behind him.
But in the meantime, Roy’s gunslinger looks to bring the heat as region play opens up Tuesday with a three-game series beginning at Bonneville (4-3). The Royals haven’t produced a winning season since 2019.
Roy, with just four seniors (Skidmore included) is a team of largely underclassmen eager to disavow whatever doubts exist about the season ahead. But Vorwaller is hardly concerned by any outside chatter, and is focused on the culture at hand.
“The short-term is just keeping getting better,” Vorwaller said. “As long as we see improvement, the effort level and the culture keeps going where it is; that’s the most important thing. Wins will come with the little things.”
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
