KEARNS — There have been times this summer when Granger pitcher Clint Felion hasn't had his best stuff. He's also had outings where he's been lights-out, and Monday was an example of that.

Felion, a 2009 Granger graduate, threw a complete-game gem, striking out nine while allowing just three hits in the Lancers' 5-1 win over Helper in the American Legion state tournament.

Granger advances to play Blacksmith Fork, while Helper drops down to the losers' bracket where it will play Kearns today.

Felion had a no-hitter going and struck out eight in the game's first five innings.

"He was good," said Granger coach Garrett Clark. "He's been weird this summer. Some days he just hasn't had it, and some days he's been like the old Clint."

The old Clint was dominant as a senior at Granger in 2009. He threw a two-hitter in a 1-0 win over Roy in the state tournament. Felion was to play at Mesa State this past season, but transferred to Weber State in the spring and played for the Wildcats' club baseball team.

Felion credited his teammates for helping hold Helper to just one run on Monday, which was 19 fewer than it scored in a first-round game against Grantsville on Saturday.

"I definitely had a lot of 'D' behind me," Felion said. "They were hitting them where we were. We got on the board quick, so that helped a lot."

The Lancers quick start began when Junior Zavala singled in the first before Felion drove him in with an RBI double. Shane Odekirk then hit an RBI double to put the Lancers up 2-0.

Odekirk added another RBI double in the third and Jose Magana hit a two-run single in the fifth.

Jaren McCourt broke up Felion's no-hitter in the sixth with a leadoff double, and he was driven in by Julian Tamllos to make it a 5-1 game.

It was quite a turnaround from the regular season meeting between the two teams. Helper dominated Granger 10-2 in Valley League play.

The Lancers have pulled it together since then, as they won six of their last seven regular season games. They've allowed just two runs in their first two state tournament games.

"Six of these kids are going to play college ball in a few weeks and we've been horrible," Clark said. "All these kids can hit. When they put it all together at once, they're pretty tough."

Felion believes Granger can keep rolling.

"We're on the right track right now," he said. "We're looking good, where we want to be (in the winners' bracket)."

BLACKSMITH FORK 4, TAYLORSVILLE 1: Zach Johnson threw a complete game, allowing just five hits in the Trappers' victory.

BRIGHAM CITY 4, BEAR RIVER 3: Kody Parkinson got the Pioneers out of a jam in the seventh, picking up a save to keep his team in the winners' bracket.

TAYLORSVILLE U17 26, MURRAY 5: The Warriors pounded 19 hits in a blowout win over the Spartans.

WEST 8, EAST 2: Andrew Samora threw a complete game to keep the Panthers alive in the tourney.

KEARNS 7, ROOSEVELT 0: Andrew Pehrson threw a three-hitter, Eli Lopez had three hits and two RBIs and Scott Myers had two hits and two RBIs to pace the Cougars.

ROY 7, AMERICAN FORK 5: The Royals outlasted American Fork in 10 innings, and Brock McCashland threw a complete game for Roy. The Royals rallied from a 5-0 deficit.

STANSBURY 11, GRANTSVILLE 1: Tyson Haddon hit a home run, Christian Pitts tripled and Colton Barkdull pitched all five innings for Stansbury.

American Legion state tournament

Today's games, at Oquirrh Park

Winners' bracket

Taylorsville U17 vs. Brigham City, 7 p.m.

Granger vs. Blacksmith Fork, 8 p.m.

Losers' bracket

Roy vs. Bear River, 1 p.m.

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Kearns vs. Helper, 2 p.m.

West vs. Murray, 4 p.m.

Stansbury vs. Taylorsville 5 p.m.

e-mail: aaragon@desnews.com

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