If you blinked, you might have missed it. In the top of the first inning of its nonregion game against Cottonwood, Lone Peak wasted absolutely no time deciding the outcome. The Knights blitzed the Colts with six first-inning runs en route to an easy 8-1 win in prep baseball Thursday.
Lone Peak had just two hits in that first frame, but the Knights capitalized on several early Cottonwood mistakes to take a 6-0 lead.
Besides a double by Pat Bailey and a single from catcher Matt Bezzant, Lone Peak runners reached base with a pair of walks, an error and a hit batsman. Despite Cottonwood's struggles, Lone Peak coach Danny Schoonover maintained that execution was the key for his team's early success.
"We hit the ball hard in the first inning," Schoonover said, "and we had some big hits."
After the first six players in the Knights' batting order scored runs, Lone Peak ace Benji Woahn pitched three shutout innings to pace the Knights.
"He's our horse," Schoonover said. "We expect him to do that for us."
Of course, starting the game with a 6-0 lead didn't hurt. "It just makes you relax," Woahn said of pitching behind the huge advantage. "You've got to be on top of your game, but you know you can give up a little here and there."
Woahn also benefited from a defense that committed no errors in just its second game.
Lone Peak's ace made way for Mark Hansen in the fourth inning. Hansen allowed just one run over three innings before Mike Jensen retired the Colts in order to close out the game.
Schoonover is hoping that Jensen, who played the first six innings at third base, can become the closer for his team. Schoonover said injuries have prevented the senior from pitching the past two years.
"This is the first time in three years that (Mike) has pitched," Schoonover said.
The win moved Lone Peak to 2-0 in the early season. The loss was Cottonwood's first game of the year.
After the bad start, the Colts did manage to settle down. Jared Crowther pitched strong in relief for Cottonwood.
Although Schoonover is happy with his team's early season success, he also realizes the Knights face a long road ahead.
"We're not firing on all four cylinders yet," he said.
In other prep baseball games Thursday:
PROVO 11, DELTA 0:Austin Rowberry went 2-4, including a double and a home run, for Provo as the Bulldogs cruised to a victory over Delta in St. George.
BOUNTIFUL 7, GRANGER 5:Christian Cox and Mike Wright both homered, with Cox's landing on Bangerter Highway, to lead the Braves to the season-opening victory. Chase Christensen recorded 14 strikeouts to pick up the win.
WEST 7, SNOW CANYON 6
FREMONT 6, HIGHLAND 3:Zack Kranendonk earned the win for Fremont on the mound as it beats Highland.
BEAR RIVER 2, BISHOP MONAGUE 1
GRANTSVILLE 7, CARBON 2
NORTH SEVIER 5, MILLARD 4:Bridger Harrison went 2-2 with an RBI in the win for North Sevier.
SPANISH FORK 6, EAST 3:Cory Grover blasted a home run on his first high school at bat for Spanish Fork in an exciting match-up against East.
RIVERTON 7, HUNTER 0: Nick Gumeson finished with two hits, including a double, for Riverton in the win over Hunter.
ROY 3, HURRICANE 1: Roy allowed only three hits to Hurricane as it wins on the road.
WEST JORDAN 9, TAYLORSVILLE 3:Lance Larsen and Hunter Utley each went 2-3 to lead West Jordan in its win over the Warriors.
PLEASANT GROVE 4, CYPRUS 1: The Vikings posted four runs in the third inning, which was more than enough to propel them past the Pirates.
CEDAR 8, WINDOW ROCK, ARIZ. 0: Two pitchers combined to allow just one hit in Cedar's easy win over Window Rock, Ariz.
UNION JV 11, ALTAMONT 1
WASATCH 6, PAYSON 3:Nick Chadwick threw a complete game for the Wasps in their win over Payson. Chadwick allowed just three hits and recorded eight strikeouts.
TIMPVIEW 17, SUNSET HIGH, TEX. 3:Charlie Barber blasted three home runs against Sunset High in Dallas as Timpview easily wins.
DAVIS 16, WOODS CROSS 1: Chris Castelli slugged a home run and earned the win on the mound for Davis as it pounds Woods Cross.