HIGHLAND — The statistics that Egan Smith has posted so far this season certainly places him among the state's elite prep pitchers.
In his first three starts, the Pleasant Grove junior southpaw gave up only 11 hits, struck out 40 batters, compiled a 3-0 record and had an earned run average of 1.27. He did nothing to harm those numbers on Tuesday in his complete-game 6-2 win over the Lone Peak Knights. In earning his fourth victory of the season, Smith fanned 10 and surrendered only four hits.
"Last year he tried to throw the ball past hitters, where this year he's pitching past hitters," Vikings coach Ryan Hall said. "He's mixing up his pitches, has good location and he has a good idea before each pitch of what he wants to do."
Smith was also aided Tuesday by the fact that he had a nice cushion before he ever took the hill. The Vikings pounced on Lone Peak starter Daniel Welch for five runs in a third of an inning, and added another run in the second inning to take an early 6-0 lead.
Jake Rickenbach led off the game with a single and Austin Christensen followed with a double. A hit batter loaded the bases and a run scored when Kyler Drew drew a walk. Tyson Weber followed with a two-run double down the left-field line. The Vikings' fourth run scored on a wild pitch and the fifth run came home on a balk. Pleasant Grove's run in the second came on a two-out single to right field by Drew to drive in Rickenbach, who had walked two batters earlier.
Lone Peak clawed back with a run in the third, which was knocked in by a double to the left-field fence by Nate Newman. The Knights added another run in the fifth when Derek Wood reached on a two-out bunt single, and then scored following three straight wild pitches.
But Smith kept the Knights from getting any closer with clutch pitching with runners in scoring position. He ended six innings with a strikeout, and the other inning ended on a 5-4-3 double play. Smith didn't allow a hit to Lone Peak's No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 hitters, and he ended the Knights' final threat in the seventh when he fanned Newman with a fastball on the outside corner with two runners on base.
One bright spot for the Knights was the relief pitching of lefty Alex Hesterly, who turned in his second straight solid performance. He kept his team close by allowing only one run on four hits in six-plus innings of work. Unfortunately for Hesterly, and the Knights, the deficit was too great when he took the mound.
"He did a good job of coming in and shutting us down and giving them a chance to fight back," Hall said.
The win improves the Vikings' Region 4 mark to 2-1, while the Knights drop to 0-3. The two teams meet again next Wednesday at Pleasant Grove.
"Every game in this region is going to be a dogfight, so it's huge for us to get this win," Hall said.
E-mail: jimr@desnews.com