Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s two winners bracket games of the 4A state tournament.
Snow Canyon 9, Dixie 8
Two Region 9 rivals took the field Tuesday afternoon at Bruce Hurst Field with one thing on their mind. Win and move one step closer to playing for a state championship.
Early on, it certainly appeared Snow Canyon would be the winning team - perhaps quite easily – after building a 7-0 lead after a big second inning.
One batter after another, the Warriors continued putting men on base. The big second inning included a two-run double off the bat of Dewy Gibb and a plethora of walks that led to Dixie’s starting pitcher Ethan McArthur being chased after allowing the first four runs.
And while it was early in the game, Snow Canyon seemed in cruise control from the outset.
Not so fast, said the Dixie Flyers.
“You feel good about it (taking an early lead), but you want your guys to continue to put up numbers. Not like seven runs, but one here, one there, but we didn’t do it, and you can’t do that with a team (Dixie) like that,” Snow Canyon head coach Reed Secrist said.
Dixie slowly chipped away at the early seven-run deficit, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the second to make it a 7-3 score. It could have been even more, but the Flyers left the bases loaded to end the inning.
Then in the bottom of the fourth, the Flyers made it a 7-5 ballgame thanks to a two-run home run that was smashed over the left field wall by Carter Turley.
Another hot start to the bottom of the fifth for the Flyers’ bats meant the end for Warriors starter Dewy Gibb, and Trent Chris would come on to replace him. Despite entering the game with the bases loaded, Chris allowed just one run to cross the plate, making it 7-6.
Snow Canyon was finally able to add a run to its lead in the top of the sixth, but their advantage wouldn’t last much longer.
In the bottom of the seventh, Dixie plated two runs to tie score at 8, sending the game to extra innings.
Suddenly, a game that seemed headed for a certain outcome had turned into an all-time classic at the most important time of the season.
Despite giving up a seven-run cushion, the Warriors were determined to win the game in extras. A two-out rally in the top of the ninth resulted in a run thanks to an RBI single from Braden Mugavero, putting them in front 9-8.
That was all the Warriors would need, as Chris shut down the final chance at a Flyers’ comeback in the bottom of the ninth.
“We’ve been waiting for that,” Secrist said of the big relief outing from the sophomore Chris.
“We pulled him up last year as a freshman, because we knew what was there. And so, we were excited to have him and be able to run him out there today and for him to get it done.”
With the win, the Warriors moved to 2-1 on the season against Dixie, while also moving on in the state tournament winner’s bracket.
“It’s a great rivalry, you know? Two awesome baseball powerhouses in the state of Utah, and, you know, we have to meet on the second day of the state tournament. It’s not always the greatest thing, but it’s the way it is and the way it goes. And, you know, I’m just happy with the win,” Secrist added.
With the loss, Dixie drops to the one-loss bracket and will face Ridgeline on Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The Warriors will await the winner of that 11 a.m. game, including a potential rematch with the Flyers. That matchup is slated to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Crimson Cliffs 7, Timpanogos 5
Facing off in the last of a four-game slate at the state tournament on Tuesday night, the Crimson Cliffs Mustangs and Timpanogos Timberwolves ensured it was worth the time of the fans who stayed late at Bruce Hurst Field.
And once again, those in attendance were treated to another comeback attempt, but this time, the Mustangs made sure at least one Region 9 team would pick up a come-from-behind win on the day.
Timpanogos would take a 2-0 lead early, tallying runs in both the top of the first and second innings.
Crimson Cliffs would get one run back in the bottom of the second, but the Timberwolves added two more runs courtesy of a two-run double from Tyten Day to make it 4-1 in the third.
Timpanogos made it a four-run lead in the fifth, and it seemed like the Mustangs might be in too big of a hole to climb out of.
“I was calm, we were good,” Crimson Cliffs head coach Justin Abbott said, even as his team trailed through much of the game.
“Our dugout was loud as ever, you know, they were doing their job. We call those guys the 10th man in there. I knew some guys were going to be in some big-time opportunities, and I was glad it was those guys.”
The Mustangs began to chip away in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a McKay Wright two-run single that made it 5-3.
Inning number six saw the momentum continue for Crimson Cliffs, as a pinch-hit RBI double from Ryker Taylor made it just a one-run game before a two-run single off the bat of Jackson Wittwer put the Mustangs in front for the first time, 6-5. Crimson Cliffs added one more run off a wild pitch, sending the game to seventh with a two-run advantage.
“You know, it’s just, I love the way we’re playing. We talk about grit a lot, and I said that the other day at our first game. I love the way we battled,” Abbott added of his team’s comeback performance.
“Jackson Wittwer, you know, didn’t have the best at bats, but comes up clutch in that situation. It’s just the next guy up and mentality and I love the way we’re playing right now.”
With the win, the Mustangs will take the field at 7 p.m. on Wednesday against the winner of the 1:30 matchup between Timpanogos and Desert Hills.