ST. GEORGE — No one wanted to call it a “must-win” game for the two-time defending state-champion Snow Canyon Warriors. But then again, what two-time defending champ ever started region play 0-4.

Faced with that prospect and a tough opponent in an unfamiliar ballpark, Snow Canyon somehow managed to overcome a 4-0 deficit and defeat Pine View 14-9 Friday night at Panther Field.

“We keep trying to win the state championship every night and we don’t need to do that,” SC coach Reed Secrist said. “We just need to go out and be the 2014 Snow Canyon Warriors and be aggressive and play our best.”

Unlikely heroes like Nick Dolce and Bryan Phelps helped SC overcome a fired up Pine View team that had just beaten Snow Canyon 9-2 Tuesday night. Of course, along with those guys were the state tournament-seasoned veterans like Clint Gates (two hits, four runs), Brady Sargent (four runs, three RBIs) and Chance Thorkelson (three RBIs).

“It was a great team effort, a great effort as a unit tonight,” Secrist said. “It’s hard to say it was a must-win, but it definitely was very important.”

Pine View jumped out on top in the beginning, scoring four runs in the bottom of the second inning. Micah Morgan, Dakota Donovan and Justice Santiago all had doubles in the rally and it looked like PV would run away from the Warriors as it had three nights earlier. A nifty double play by Dolce, in which he had sprinted toward second to cover for a stealing baserunner, had a sharp grounder squirm right to him, then stepped on the bag and threw to first, ended the PV rally.

The Warriors got a run in the second, then four in the third to take a 5-4 lead. Dolce, a sophomore, had a 3-run triple in the rally and Jake Sargent plated him with another triple to give the Warriors the advantage.

Pine View retook the lead at 6-5 on RBIs by Dylan Draper and Santiago in the bottom of the third, but the hot Snow Canyon bats knocked in five more runs in the fourth to make it 10-6. Six straight Warriors got hits to start the fourth off of PV pitchers including Jacob Frei, Gates, Tyler Wardell, Brady Sargent, Josh Howard and Thorkelson.

Pine View got within 10-7 and 12-9, but never any closer as the Panthers dropped their first game in region play.

Snow Canyon, which went to 7-6 overall and 1-3 in region play, got the endurance win from Will Durante, who lasted five innings. The Warriors battle Hurricane Tuesday and Friday of next week. Tuesday’s match-up is at SC.

Morgan, Donovan and Brooks Barney all had two hits for Pine View, which fell to 8-5 overall and 3-1 in region play.  The Panthers play at Canyon View Tuesday, then host the Falcons Friday night.

Dixie 21, Hurricane 3

The Flyers evened their region record at 2-2 with the mercy-rule win at Don Lay Field.

Braxton Ipson got the win on the mound and Dixie scored early and often against the Tigers, who are winless in region play.

Dixie, 7-5 overall, has a bye in region action next week and will travel to northern Utah to battle Westlake, Logan and Davis. The Flyers’ next region action is Apr. 8 at home vs. Snow Canyon.

Cedar 8, Canyon View 0

If they weren’t already, teams in Region 9 might want to start taking Cedar seriously. The Redmen completed a two-game sweep of crosstown rival Canyon View with a dominating win Friday night at Falcons Field.

Brecken Lewis pitched the shutout and Ryker Tom hit a two-run homer as Cedar outscored the Falcons 10-0 in the two games and the Redmen now join Desert Hills as the only two teams without a loss in Region 9.

Cedar, 12-1 overall, got three hits from Dallas Jolley and grabbed the lead early on Tom’s homer. A four-spot in the sixth inning quelled any comeback thought by the Falcons, who fell to 8-5 overall and 2-2 in region play.

Cedar plays at Desert Hills Tuesday night, then hosts the Thunder Friday night.

Canyon View, which got a triple from Keaton Kringlen in the game, battles Pine View at home next Tuesday.

Region 9	W	L	RS	RA	pct.	W	L	RS	RA	pct.
Pine View	3	1	34	21	.750	8	5	96	65	.615
Desert Hills	2	0	15	5	1.000	8	2	81	18	.800
Cedar	2	0	10	0	1.000	12	1	108	23	.923
Canyon View	2	2	23	16	.500	8	5	82	61	.615
Dixie	2	2	34	21	.500	7	5	84	60	.583
Snow Canyon	1	3	22	41	.250	7	6	93	98	.538
Hurricane	0	4	11	45	.000	6	7	89	123	.462

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