RIVERTON — No. 9 hitters aren't supposed to hit 0-2 fastballs for home runs. If they could, they'd be batting further up the order.
Taylorsville's Preston Grimes proved that theory wrong in dramatic fashion Wednesday during the 5A state tournament.
Facing that exact scenario in the top of the seventh, Grimes uncorked a home run over the left-field wall, lifting Taylorsville past Riverton 4-3.
"I thought it was just a routine fly ball," said Grimes, who only cracked Taylorsville's lineup three weeks ago. "I've been more confident lately, and I'm just trying to put the ball in play."
That's all he was trying to do Wednesday.
"That's why he's in the lineup," said Taylorsville coach Steve Cramblitt. "(Since) he broke in about three weeks ago, he's been tough. Every time he gets up, he competes."
Grimes' blast might've done more than just win the game. It might've given the Warriors the confidence they need heading into the second week of the state tourney next week.
"All you have to do is stay hot for two weeks, and the great thing about these guys is they're starting to feel confident," Cramblitt said.
Taylorsville will face Viewmont in next Tuesday's quarterfinals at Lindquist Field at 4:30 p.m.
For five innings Wednesday, it looked like Riverton would be the team marching along in the winner's bracket.
Thanks to a towering first-inning, two-run homer by Riverton pitcher Brock Nordberg, the Silverwolves led 2-0 entering the sixth inning.
With zero strikeouts, Nordberg wasn't overwhelming Taylorsville's hitters, but his pitch location was excellent and the Warriors only had two hits through five innings.
"Their plan was to get ahead of us with fastballs away, and it was a good plan," Cramblitt said. "Most high schools guys want to pull everything. You have to adjust to the pitcher."
In the sixth inning, the Warriors began adjusting.
Taylor North began the three-run sixth with a one-out double, and then scored on One Taumoepeau's single one batter later. Jason Gonzalez followed that RBI single with another single putting runners at the corners with one out. After relief pitcher Kyle Loader struck out the first batter he faced, Taylorsville's Gonzalez stole second to set the table for Brett Nigbur. After fouling off several pitches, Nigbur found the pitch he wanted and ripped a two-run single to left, giving Taylorsville the 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Riverton's Ben Lail singled home Derek Pena to tie the game, but all it did was set the stage for Grimes' dramatic home run.
In other 5A playoff games Wednesday:
VIEWMONT 6, KEARNS 0:Brye Liens hit a two-run double in the first inning and Blake Thompson shut down the Cougars with nine strikeouts and a three-hit complete-game shutout.
SKYLINE 5, LAYTON 0: Skyline's Tyler Nielsen went a perfect 2-for-2 and drove in three runs off a home run and a double. Mitch Reid pitched a three-hit complete game shutout.
NORTHRIDGE 6, FREMONT 5:Cole Robinson batted a perfect 4-for-4 and scored the go-ahead run in a three-run sixth inning and Jeff Lehowsky completed the game for Northridge with 10 strikeouts.
BRIGHTON 6, WEST JORDAN 4:Een Tingey went 3-for-4 with a home run as the visiting Bengals beat West Jordan.
DAVIS 9, WEBER 6:Tyler Sargent went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs to lead the Darts past the Warriors in a 5A consolation game. Davis' Chris Castelli recorded the complete-game victory with seven strikeouts.
E-mail: jedward@desnews.com