The Carbon Dinos opened the 2019 baseball season with four games in two days at the Donnie Pymm First Pitch Classic Friday and Saturday in St. George.
Struggling out of the gate, Carbon dropped the first two games of the weekend on Friday. Battling back on Saturday the team scored a victory over Cedar, before closing out the weekend with a loss to Payson.
The weekend trip also gave Carbon and the other seven competing teams an opportunity to help out underprivileged children. Each squad donated baseball gear to the Gift of Glove Foundation. The non-profit organization out of Sandy grants youth in under-served and deprived populations of the world the chance to experience the game of baseball.
Carbon was recognized as the most charitable team, donating over half of the items gathered by all eight teams. The Dinos were later recognized by the Gift of Glove Foundation.
The 1-3 stretch sets the stage for a highly active week for the team. Weather permitting, Carbon will return to the field on Tuesday with a trip to Salem Hills. Also on the schedule is a weekend pre season tournament in Blanding that includes three games in two days Friday and Saturday.
Below is a complete recap of each of the four games played Friday and Saturday.
Friday, March 8:
Bear River- 10, Carbon-4 Final:
Adrien Sanchez was charged with the loss on the hill, allowing six earned runs in 1.2 innings of play. Falling behind 10-1 at the end of the fifth inning, Carbon managed to score three runs in the sixth before ultimately suffering a loss.
Freshman Jordan Fossat finished 2-2 at the plate while logging a team best two RBIs. Nick Olson finished 1-2. Cooper Schade ended 1-1 with a double.
Friday, March 8:
Box Elder- 6, Carbon 4- Final:
Despite scoring two runs in the opening frame the Carbon Dinos were unable to hold off a determined Box Elder squad, falling 6-4 in the second game of the season Friday afternoon.
Early success at the plate did not translate throughout the next six innings as Carbon was held to just three hits as a team. Braxton Bennett ended 2-4 and scored two runs. Ty Anderson ended 1-4 and scored one run as Carbon ended with no extra base hits.
Senior Nathan Richens was tagged with the loss after allowing five hits and three earned runs in four innings of work. Kaleb Nelson worked two innings of relief action, allowing just one earned run.
Saturday, March 9:
Carbon-5, Cedar-3- Final:
After suffering back-to-back losses the Carbon Dinos earned its first win of the season with a 5-3 decision over the Cedar Redman Saturday morning in St. George.
Scoring four runs in the opening inning, Carbon developed a monumental lead that stuck throughout the contest. As a team the Dinos recorded just five hits, while Cedar ended with seven.
Braxton Bennett earned the win on the mound allowing just three hits in five innings, while striking out two. Jordan Fossat came in on a relief effort to record two innings, giving up just three hits.
Collin Lewis soared at the plate ending 2-3 with two RBIs, one run and a double.
Saturday, March 9:
Payson-6 , Carbon 3- Final:
Unable to carry the momentum built from the first win of the season earlier in the day, the Carbon Dinos suffered a 6-3 loss to the Payson Lions in the pre-season tournament finale Saturday afternoon in St. George.
A quick start allowed Carbon to score all three of its runs in the opening frame. From that point on Payson’s defense proved to be the difference maker, holding Carbon to just five hits throughout the contest.
Braxton Bennett led the Dinos at the plate with a 2-4 performance that included one double, one run and a stolen base. Ty Anderson finished 2-3 with two singles, one run and one stolen base.
Collin Lewis was pegged with the loss after allowing four hits, three earned runs and three walks. Lewis struck out six batters before Cayden Steele and Keaton Rich closed out the game in a combined relief effort.