Price American Legion made the trip over the weekend to Green River, Wyo. to take part in the wood-bat only Green River Invitational Tournament. Price secured the championship with a 7-1 win over Riverton Wyo. on Sunday.
Price kicked off the tournament with a game against Green River JV on Friday. A dominant performance by Johny Tallerico on the mound propelled the team to a convincing 19-1 win. The team had 23 total hits. Three players had at least four hits in the game, led by Jarod Lessar who went 5-5 with four singles and a double. Brayden Tubbs (4-4) and Steven Zamantakis (4-5) each recorded three singles and a double in the game.
Rock Springs, Wyo. then handed Price its only loss in the tournament, 13-4, in the second game of a doubleheader Friday. Harley Barker led the offense for Price, going 2-2 in the six-inning game. Brendan Johnson was the lone pitcher in the game for Price.
In its first game on Saturday, Price faced a familiar foe in Uintah. After splitting four games previously this summer, Price was able to slip passed Uintah for the 5-2 win. Tallerico again pitched in the game, giving head coach Willie Ellington a solid complete-game performance. Dillon Lowe, Caden Sherman and Zamantakis each had two hits in the game.
In Saturday’s second game, Lessar and Zamantakis powered Price passed Evanston, Wyo. 7-1. Lessar, who had already contributed a four-hit performance in the tournament, again had four hits, including a solo home run, two singles and a double. Lessar had four of the team’s 11 total hits in the game. Zamantakis struck out five batters in the game from the mound. With the win, Price earned a spot in the championship game on Sunday against Riverton, Wyo.
Against Riverton, Lessar turned in a spectacular performance for Price, striking out 10 batters en route to the 7-1 win. Zamantakis turned in a 2-3 performance at the plate. Price had a big fourth inning in which Sherman, Lowe and Dallon Lessar went back-to-back-to-back with hits to push the game out of reach. Jarod Lessar then struck out the final batter in the seventh on just three pitches.
“Big fun to watch guys use their athletic skills,” Ellington said about his players’ performances in the tournament. “It was just superb to watch.”
Price was originally supposed to compete in the St. George Tournament beginning Wednesday, but now it will host Green River Wyo. on Thursday in doubleheader action beginning at 3:30 p.m. at the USU Eastern baseball field.