ST. GEORGE — An afternoon victory at Cedar City put Pine View back in first place Tuesday, but the half-game lead didn’t last long as Desert Hills shutout Snow Canyon to pull back even in Region 9. Dixie, meanwhile, held serve at home against Hurricane to stay within a game of the two league leaders. Here’s a look at the night’s action:
Desert Hills 8, Snow Canyon 0
Brayson Hurdsman was sick all weekend, missing school and baseball practice Monday with the stomach flu. But the Thunder ace showed no ill effects Tuesday night, pitching six innings of spectacular one-hit baseball in helping Desert Hills to the big win.
“I felt all right,” Hurdsman said, after allowing just four SC base runners. “It was nice having support from the guys, knowing that I can go and pitch to contact and get some outs with them behind me.”
Hurdsman struck out nine batters, had one walk and hit one Warrior batter. Only one Snow Canyon player reached third base and Hurdsman struck out five of the last seven batters he faced before giving way to reliever Konner Blomquist in the seventh inning. Even with the strong outing, Hurdsman said it was tough getting through it after his rough weekend.
“I’d rather not go through that again,” he said.
The Thunder took a couple of innings to figure out Snow Canyon pitcher Nick Dolce. But in the third inning, DH broke through for three runs. Chad Nelson and Daniel Arrey started it off with singles, then Sam Rhoton brought Nelson home with a liner to center field, making it 1-0. The lead jumped to 3-0 a few batters later as Quinn Kiser’s base hit to center brought home Rhoton and Chance Milne.
The Warriors got two men on in the top of the fourth after Dolce was hit by a pitch and Cannon Secrist broke up the no hitter with a solid single to center field. But Hurdsman picked up a 2-2 strikeout to end the threat and preserve the shutout.
The Thunder then broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth with four runs. Nelson had an RBI double in the rally and Preston Creager and Milne also recorded RBIs. Hurdsman and Creager teamed up for an insurance run in the sixth as Hurdsman tripled to right field and Creager singled him home with a hit to right field.
“We were worried the last couple of days because (Hurdsman) has not been feeling well,” DH coach Jerry Beck said. “I couldn’t be more proud of him. He definitely clutched up for us tonight. One hit against Snow Canyon, a good hitting team, it doesn’t get any better than that.”
The Thunder offense was good as well, producing 13 hits, including multi-hit efforts by Hurdsman, Nelson, Creager and Kiser. Every D-Hills starter had a base hit.
Desert Hills, 10-9 overall and 4-1 in region, will travel to Warrior Field Friday to complete the two-game set against Snow Canyon, which dropped to 6-12 overall and 1-4 in region.
Boxscore: DHSC41916
Pine View 7, Cedar 4
The Panthers rapped out 13 hits and took advantage of four Redmen errors in the road win Tuesday afternoon.
Cedar actually touched Pine View ace Dakota Donovan for a run in the first inning and it was only 3-2 for the Panthers heading into the fourth. But Connor Clark doubled home a couple of runs and the Panthers plated three in the fourth to forge a 6-2 advantage. A run in the fifth made it 7-2 and Donovan scrapped through the final couple of innings to get the win.
Junior outfielder Jagun Leavitt was the hitting star in the game for the Panthers, collecting four base knocks and a couple of RBIs.
Donovan, usually at master at control, gave up three walks and six hits to Cedar batters in the windy conditions in Iron County.
Pine View, 12-5 overall and 4-1 in region, has won five of its last six games and will host the Redmen at Panther Field Friday night.
Kyler Carrizosa took the loss for Cedar, which dropped to 8-10 overall and 1-4 in region.
Dixie 5, Hurricane 2
Sophomore ace pitcher Tyson Fisher gave up just three hits and no earned runs as the Flyers captured their third region win with the home decision over the Tigers.
Fisher struggled at the plate, going 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, but more than made up for that by being in control throughout from the mound. He held Hurricane to two unearned runs — one each in the first and third innings — and improved to 2-1 in region contests.
The Tigers led 1-0 when Kyle Williams, who had walked to lead off the game, scored on a passed ball.
Dixie answered with a run in the bottom of the first as Hobbs Nyberg scored on a groundout by Fisher after Nyberg had singled earlier in the inning.
The Flyers grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the second, with two runs coming across. Payden Harrah and Duncan Staheli singled home teammates.
Hurricane cut it to 3-2 as Dixie committed a fielding error with the bases loaded and two outs. But Fisher induced an easy ground play to end the threat and keep the Flyers ahead 3-2.
Dixie added an insurance run in the fourth on a Hurricane error and in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Dayton Dempsey.
Nyberg and Chance Vowell had two hits to lead the Flyers, who improved to 11-4 overall and 3-2 in region play, one game behind Pine View and Desert Hills.
Hurricane, got a gutty performance on the mound from Tobie Swenson, who gave up just three earned runs. The Tigers, whose three hits came from Williams, Swenson and Noah Humphrey, fall to 7-7 overall and 2-3 in region.
The two teams will meet in Hurricane for the second half of the series Friday night at 7 p.m.
Boxscore: HURDIX41916
Region 9 Standings
Pine View 4-1, 12-5
Desert Hills 4-1, 10-9
Dixie 3-2, 11-4
Hurricane 2-3, 7-7
Cedar 1-4, 8-10
Snow Cany0n 1-4, 6-12
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