Photos by Jeff Barrett
Carbon and Emery met up in the consolation bracket of the 3A state baseball tournament on Thursday with each team needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Spartans delivered the first blow with a run in the second playing small ball. Bron Gordon singled with one out. Then, Kason Stilson bunted Gordon over to second to set up Rance Jensen’s RBI single to left that put Emery up 1-0.
Freshman Keaton Rich and the Dinos capitalized on an early error in the third with an RBI single to left to tie the game at one. In the fourth, Carbon took the lead on four hits, scoring four runs. Carbon held on to win by that same score, 5-1, to knock Emery out of the tournament.
Rich led the Dinos, going 2-3 with a double and three RBIs. Nathan Richens pitched a complete game, giving up one run on six hits while striking out seven.
Rance Jensen was the only Spartan to figure Richens out. He went 3-3 and hit home Emery’s lone run. Cade Brazier pitched well for the Spartans outside the fourth inning when the Dinos took the lead. He went six innings and allowed five runs, two of those earned, on seven hits.
Rich again helped the Dinos later in the day to beat Judge Memorial. He pitched a complete game shutout, only allowed four hits and struck out six. Carbon’s bats came alive in this one as six batters got at least one hit. The Dinos won 6-0.
Over the two games on Thursday, Richens and Rich combined to go 14 innings with 13 strikeouts and only gave up one run. If the Carbon can duplicate those performances, it has a chance to continue deep in the tournament.
Carbon (Region 14 #3) will play Manti (Regon 15 #2) later on today (Friday) at 1:30 p.m.
Carbon vs Emery
Carbon vs Judge Memorial
