Friday night the Carbon Dino baseball squad dropped their first game of the post season to Juan Diego 14-6. The loss dropped them in to the one-loss bracket which meant they would have to win three games on Saturday to win a state championship. They would face American Leadership Academy at 10 a.m. at Utah Valley University and in the early going it looked like Carbon had things under control but a huge fourth inning for American Leadership turned the tide and they would go on to win 14-11, sending the Dinos home.
American Leadership plays in the same region as Juan Diego, finishing just behind them in second place with a 25-7 record, and held the No. 3 spot in the RPI.
Carbon came out putting up two runs in the first as Chet Anderson was able to score on an error by the right fielder and in the next at bat, Rylan Hart scored on a wild pitch. Hart ended the game going 2-3 with two runs scored.
Carbon saved the fireworks for the third when, with one on, Keaton Rich got up to the plate and sent one over the left field wall, bringing Hart home. Rich ended the day 2-4, with four RBI’s and scored a run. Dallen O’Neil would send a grounder to second, reaching on an error and driving in Wyatt Falk, pushing the score to 5-1 at the end of three and a half.
Moving to the top of the fourth Anderson sent a triple down to right field putting the score at 6-3 as Sean Madden crossed the plate.
The bottom of the fourth is where American Leadership made their move putting up eight runs in the inning. The rally ended starting pitcher Beau Vea’s day on the mound for the Dinos, Vea moved to left field after going 3.1, giving up seven earned on eight hits, with two strike outs. O’Neil came in to end the inning giving up four earned on five hits.
With the score 11-6, Carbon had work to do and went right to it, starting with a Ridge Nielsen triple to right that brought in Stockton Kennedy. Jacob Vasquez stepped up to the plate next sending another one to right that scored Nielsen. An Anderson single that brought home O’Neil would bring Rich back to the plate and he would send a two run single to left field that let Vea and Anderson score, but more importantly tied the game at 11.
American Leadership came back in the bottom of the fifth with Falk taking over on the mound for Carbon. Falk gave up three runs on three hits and struck out two.
Carbon tried to get something going in the top of the seventh, with the bases loaded and two out, Nielsen came to the plate and unfortunately hit into a fielder’s choice to the second baseman ending the game 14-11.
American Leadership would go on to play Juan Diego at 12:30, losing the game, making Juan Diego the 3A State Baseball Champions.
The Dinos ended the season with an 18-10 record going 10-2 in Region 12 taking the region crown.
Check with Castle Country Radio for a season recap and tune into Drive Time Sports on KOAL 107.3 FM or 750 AM for a season wrap-up interview with Coach Jeff Cisneros.