ETV News stock photo by Jeff Barrett
All eyes were on the Dinos and Falcons on Thursday as the premiere teams met on the diamond. While Canyon View and Carbon represent the two top teams in Region 12, they also are among the top five teams in the 3A RPI standings. That all brought some extra spice to Thursday’s doubleheader in Cedar City.
Rylan Hart started off Game 1 with a bang, taking the first pitch over the left field fence. Two batters later, Jordan Fossat also went yard to straight away center, making it 2-0. Beau Vea cruised on the mound for the Dinos, setting the Falcons down in order through the first three innings. A leadoff walk would come back to bite Vea in the fourth, however, as Canyon View scored to pull within one.
In the next half inning, Hart hit his second long ball of the afternoon, this time a two-run shot. Carbon was then looking to add to its three-run lead in the sixth. With the bases loaded and just one out, Dallyn Oneil singled to left, bringing home two runs. A pair of errors allowed the Falcons to cut it back to two, 6-4, with just one inning remaining. The Dinos grabbed an insurance run in the seventh to take the first contest 7-4.
Hart had an incredible game and finished 2-4 with two homeruns and three RBIs. Jordan Fossat also went 2-4 with a ribbie while Colton Lowe went 1-2 with a double. Vea lasted six and one third innings and gave up four runs (one earned) on four hits, while striking out four to pick up the win.
The Dinos jumped out in Game 2 as well when Ridge Nielsen hit a two-out RBI single. The Falcons came back in the second with two runs after an error extended the inning. Then, in the third, Lowe connected on a pitch and sent it over the wall in center to tie it all back at two. Back-and-forth it went as Canyon View then struck for two runs in the bottom of the third to lead 4-2.
A two-out rally brought Carbon closer in the fourth when Keaton Rich hit an RBI single to center. The Dinos scored one more in the fifth and sixth to go up 5-4. Unfortunately, a bases-empty, two-out error extended the bottom half of the sixth and the Falcons took advantage with four runs to retake the lead, 8-5. The Dinos put two runners on with one out in the seventh, but could not find the equalizer. They certainly had their chances but eight errors and 13 runners left on base were too much to overcome.
Jordan Fossat logged seven strikeouts through five and two third innings, but was charged with six runs, though only two were earned. At the dish, Neilson went 2-3, Rich went 2-5 and Lowe went 1-3 with a homerun.
It is rivalry week for the Dinos (9-7, 4-1) as they face off with Emery (11-7, 6-3) three straight times. Tuesday will feature a doubleheader (2 p.m. and 4 p.m.) in Castle Dale before Carbon returns home to host the series finale on Friday at 3:30 p.m. Catch all three games live on ETV Channel 10 and online at etvnews.com/livesports.