The Helper American Legion baseball team clinched the No. 1 seed from the Southern Division after splitting a two game set with St. George Friday on the road.

Rolling through the regular season schedule without a loss, Helper needed just one win to grab the top seed. Suffering a 6-2 setback in the first game, Helper responded with a 12-6 win to end the weekend set on a positive note.

Mitch Olson was charged with the loss on the hill in game one as Helper fell behind 5-0 before the end of the first frame. Following the slow start defensively Helper allowed just one run the rest of the way, but was unable to chip into the deficit.

Taylon Abeyta registered an RBI double in the second inning and Cole Fossat went yard on a solo shot in the sixth. As a team Helper produced just six hits, leading to their first league loss of the 2016 legion season.

Fossat earned the win on the mound in the second contest of the double-header, delivering a complete game effort. After falling behind 3-1 in the third inning, Helper rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the fourth inning and never looked back.

A single by Fossat, followed by double from Cody Lowe set the stage for Chase Morgan’s a two RBI single. Olson scored the go-ahead run off of a fielder’s choice hit by Ty Anderson. After taking the one-run lead in the fourth, Helper added three more in the fifth off a Fossat’s second home run of the afternoon.

St. George managed to chip into the lead by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but a monstrous sixth inning for Helper put the game out of reach. Following multiple walks Anthony Maclean laced a double and Ty Anderson later singled as Helper scored four more runs to extend their lead.

“We not only hit the ball well but we played great defense as we had numerous diving plays and great pitching,” said head coach Jeff Cisneros. “This was a complete game and team win and I really thought we played well.”

Now a lock for the No. 1 seed in next week’s state tournament, Helper will wrap up the regular season Tuesday with a double-header against Vernal.

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