Prep baseball: Hurricane gets pitching gem from Flemetakis

Written by Andy Griffin
March 21, 2017
Hurricane vs. Kanab, Baseball, Hurricane, Utah, Mar. 21, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

HURRICANE – Alec Flemetakis allowed just one hit and struck out 14 batters as the Hurricane Tigers defeated Kanab 3-0 Tuesday afternoon at Tiger Field.

Hurricane is not playing in a tournament this weekend, so coach Jon Homer scheduled a handful of non-region games, including a home-and-home set against the Cowboys, a 2A playoff team from last year.

The star of the day was Flemetakis, who was dealing heat with his fastball and keeping hitters off-balance with a sharp curve.

Hurricane’s Drew Hermansen (9) and Kanab’s Monte Glover, Hurricane vs. Kanab, Baseball, Hurricane, Utah, Mar. 21, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“When Alec was reaching back on his fastball, they couldn’t catch up with it,” Homer said. “He was really throwing the ball well. The only hit was a hard grounder down the first-base line that the first baseman got a glove on, but really had no play.”

Flemetakis issued a walk to start the game, then quickly picked off the base runner at first. He then proceeded to retire the next 13 Kanab batters in-a-row. Cowboy hitter Morgan Barton broke up the streak (and the no hitter) with that bleeding single to right. Flemetakis walked the next batter, Layne Anderson, and just like that, Kanab had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the fifth.

Due to pitch count concerns, Homer went to the mound to pull Flemetakis, but the senior hurler pled his case with the coach.

Hurricane’s Alec Flemetakis (11), Hurricane vs. Kanab, Baseball, Hurricane, Utah, Mar. 21, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“He was at 65 pitches and with the new pitch-count rules, I was going to take him out so he could pitch some on Friday,” Homer said. “But he said he felt great and that he wanted to finish what he started and get the win.”

Flemetakis then blew away the Kanab hitters for five strikeouts in the final seven outs to get the W.

The Tigers got their pitcher the lead early by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Nick Horsley scored on a passed ball after doubling to left-center and Logan Campbell had an RBI groundout to bring home Tobie Swenson with one out.

Hurricane added a third run in the fourth when Swenson singled home Rylee Kent with two outs. Kent had singled to start the inning.

Kanab’s Kayden McDonald (23), Hurricane vs. Kanab, Baseball, Hurricane, Utah, Mar. 21, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“It definitely helps when you get your pitcher a lead early,” Homer said. “I thought Kanab’s pitcher (Kayden MacDonald) really pitched well. He’s a lefty with a bender and he frustrated us. My hat’s off to Kanab. They played well.”

MacDonald allowed six hits and just one of the three runs he gave up was earned.

For Hurricane, no one had more than one hit, though Swenson did score once and have an RBI. Kolby Heaton drew two walks.

The Tigers, 4-5, are scheduled to play at Canyon View Wednesday at 4 p.m., weather permitting. They’ll then head out to Kanab for a Friday afternoon game at Cowboys Field.

Here’s a look at the Region 9 baseball schedule for the rest of the week:

WEDNESDAY
Hurricane at Canyon View, 4 p.m.

THURSDAY
Timpanogas at Cedar, 4 p.m.; Enterprise at Pine View, 6  p.m.; Spanish Fork at Desert Hills, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY
Hurricane at Kanab, 3:30 p.m.; Cedar at Wasatch, 4 p.m.; Dixie at Provo, 4 p.m.
Landmark Insurance Classic – Juan Diego at Desert Hills, 7 p.m.
 Pine View Kickoff Classic – Grantsville at Pine View, 3:30 p.m.; S. Summit at PV, 8:30 p.m.
 Texas Roadhouse Classic – Las Vegas at Snow Canyon, 7 p.m.; Salem Hills at SC, 9:30 p.m.

SATURDAY
Dixie at Orem, 10 a.m.; Dixie vs. Viewmont (@ Orem), 12:30 p.m.
Landmark Insurance Classic – Desert Hills vs. tbd, 11 a.m. & 3 p.m.
Pine View Kickoff Classic – South Summit at Pine View, 11:30 a.m.; PV vs. tbd, 7 p.m.
Texas Roadhouse Classic – Herriman at Snow Canyon, 1 p.m.; SC vs. tbd, 8 p.m.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Griffin has been in sports media since 1989 and has covered BYU, Utah State and the Utah Jazz as well as all sports in southern Utah. A journalism graduate of USU, Andy has carried on a dual career as both a sports writer and a sports broadcaster and has been heard around the country. He has also been published in USA Today, Sport magazine, The Sporting News, Fairways magazine, the Los Angeles Times and locally in the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Spectrum. Andy was “The Voice of Region 9 sports,” for many years. He also hosted a daily sports talk show for three years called AG in the a.m. Andy has been married to his college sweetheart Shelly for 28 years and has five children ages 13 to 25.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.