SANTA CLARA – Snow Canyon High School needed a hero if it was going to move ahead of Pine View High School for first place, and the Warriors got one with their man behind the plate.

Warriors’ senior catcher Jake Brown delivered the goods in an 11-2 win for Snow Canyon during Region 9 baseball action on Wednesday, April 20. Brown blasted three home runs in the blow-out victory at the Pine View campus.

“I haven’t seen three home runs hit at Snow Canyon since I’ve been here,” Snow Canyon coach Reed Secrist said. “I know what the kid can do. It’s just getting him to believe in himself, and it’s starting to show.”

Brown didn’t just receive praise from his own coach. Pine View coach Randy Wilstead said he was also happy to see good things happen for an exceptional kid like Brown.

“I understand he’s been slumping quite a bit, so what a way to come out,” Wilstead said. “He’s even a better man than he is a baseball player. It stems from his parents. We didn’t have a pitch we could throw him to get him out.”

Brown’s first home run came in the top of the second inning with Pine View leading Snow Canyon 2-1. Brown squared up the pitch from Pine View pitcher Michael Orvin and sent it high into the air. The ball sailed over the wall in left-center field.

The second home run came in the fourth inning. Orvin tried something different in this at-bat, but the result was the exact same. Brown broke the 2-2 tie with a home run over the left-field wall.

Snow Canyon was in complete control of the game by the time Brown got up to hit his third home run. The score was 8-2, and senior second baseman Elliot Knox and senior third baseman Xavier Fely were on first and second base. Wilstead brought in his son, senior Cole Wilstead, to pitch in relief by this point. Cole Wilstead delivered the pitch, but Brown sent it over the center-field wall to give the Warriors the 11-2 lead.

Randy Wilstead expressed his disappointment with the Panthers’ lack of quality play.

“We were beat before we ever showed up today,” Randy Wilstead said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so disappointed in a time in my life. Hopefully they learn from it, but right out of the gate we didn’t have a chance.”

Both teams take a break for Easter weekend, so the next game for Snow Canyon is on Tuesday, April 26. The Warriors host Hurricane High School at 7 p.m. The Panthers will host Desert Hills High School at 7 p.m. on the same day.