Somehow it seemed only fitting that the Hillcrest Huskies, who outhit Taylorsville 14-6, would find a way to win their 4A state playoff game with the Warriors. For a while though, it looked like Taylorsville was going to six-hit its way to the win.
Enter starting pitcher-turned-shortstop Sean Olsen. His game-winning bloop single in the top of the seventh inning scored Darren Milne from third and lifted the Huskies to an 8-7 victory Wednesday night at Ken Price Park. The win vaults Hillcrest into the championship game, whether its wins or loses against West Jordan at 7:30 tonight, as it remains the only undefeated in the double-elimination tourney.It wasn't a classic hit. Olsen will tell you that much.
"I didn't mean to hit it. It just accidentally hit the bat," he said of his check-swing Texas Leaguer to left.
But by no accident did Hillcrest defeat the Warriors. The Huskies are a different club than the one Taylorsville clobbered in the preseason 14-2.
"We're a much better team," added Olsen, who went three innings on the mound before being relieved by Mike Cottle. Cottle earned the win; Jeff Leatherwood got the loss.
"We lost to them last year in state, and in the preseason they thumped us," Cottle said. "We just had to come out and beat them."
Which Hillcrest did in come-from-behind fashion, handing Taylorsville only its third loss.
"I was afraid we weren't going to score," Cottle said of the nail-biting seventh inning. "I was feeling down at the time."
After taking an early 3-0 lead, Hillcrest yielded five runs in the bottom of the third.
Taylorsville was to meet Cyprus today at 4:30.
West Jordan 14, Roy 3
First baseman Shane Jones turned in the big game for the Jaguars as they knocked the Royals out of the tourney. Jones had three hits, including a three-run homer, giving him five RBI for the day, as West Jordan continued to score runs at an alarming pace. Tuesday, the Jaguars punished Bountiful 18-10.
Pitcher Joe Arnold twirled a five-hitter and struck out 13 to complement Jones' offensive show.
Cyprus 6, Brighton 5
Shortstop Andy Gonzales' double to center in the bottom of the eighth scored Keith Evans from second, eliminating the Bengals.
Brighton led 4-1 before the Cyprus comeback. Relief pitcher Brad Rammell threw three innings of no-hit ball for the Pirates, and their bats finally awoke in the fourth inning when they scored three times. Evans and Scott Eyre both had RBI singles in the inning.
Bengal shortstop Marc Hagen had a solo homer for Brighton.