ST. GEORGE — The St. George Sentinels won their first game of the annual St. George Summer Classic, a tournament featuring 12 teams from Utah, California, Colorado and even a visitor from Minnesota.
Most of the local schools put together teams for the tourney, including all the Region 9 teams, plus Utah teams from Springville and Blacksmith Fork, the Colorado Bandits, the Minnesota Excelsior and Highland, Calif.
The 12-team pool is broken down into the Liberty and Freedom divisions, with the top two teams in each division playing in a semifinal game Saturday at 5 p.m. at DSU’s Bruce Hurst Field and the semifinal winners squaring off for the SGSC championship at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hurst Field.
The host Sentinels opened the tourney with a 9-5 win over Minnesota late Thursday night. The game, which ended about 11 p.m., was a see saw affair, with Excelsior taking a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, only to see the Sentinels score six runs in the bottom of that inning.
Kash Walker had a two-run triple in the big rally for St. George, a team made up of mostly current and former Pine View players. The rally gave the Sentinels a 7-5 lead and a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth put the game away.
“It was really nice to see us respond like that,” said SG coach Shane Johanson. “We just couldn’t get them out in that inning, but when we finally did, we responded in a big way. That’s a good, solid team from Minnesota.”
Chris Petrosie weathered the storm to get the win as he pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and four earned runs. Jackson Bithell had two hits and four RBIs in the game. St. George had 13 hits in the game. The Sentinels, 10-6, play Highland at 6 p.m. at Snow Canyon High School Friday.
In other action at the Summer Classic, the Liberty Division had three teams go 1-0 on Thursday. Dixie beat Richfield 11-1, while Colorado won a shootout with Cedar City 22-17 and Blacksmith Fork beat Snow Canyon 9-8.
In the Freedom Division, Springville is the only undefeated team as it beat Canyon View 11-8 and Desert Hills 3-2. The DH squad and St. George are both 1-0, with DH getting its win over the Sentinels 7-4. Minnesota also won earlier in the day, beating Highland 12-1.
Games continue all day Friday at both Hurst Field and Warrior Field.
First day standings:
LIBERTY POOL:
DIXIE 1-0
COLORADO 1-0
BLACKSMITH FORK 1-0
SNOW CANYON 0-1
CEDAR 0-1
RICHFIELD 0-1
SNOW CANYON 0-1
FREEDOM POOL:
SPRINGVILLE 2-0
MINNESOTA 1-1
ST GEORGE 1-1
DESERT HILLS 1-1
HIGHLAND 0-1
CANYON VIEW 0-1
Thursday results:
DIXIE (11) VS. RICHFIELD (1)
ST GEORGE (4) VS. DESERT HILLS (7)
MINNESOTA (12) VS. HIGHLAND (1)
DESERT HILLS (2) VS. SPRINGVILLE (3)
COLORADO (22) VS. CEDAR CITY (17)
SNOW CANYON (8) VS. BLACKSMITH (9)
SPRINGVILLE (11) VS. CANYON VIEW (8)
MINNESOTA (5) VS ST GEORGE (9)
Friday’s games (location):
9:30 AM BLACKSMITH FORK VS. RICHFIELD (SC)
9:30 AM SNOW CANYON VS. COLORADO (DSU)
1:00 PM RICHFIELD VS. SNOW CANYON (SC)
12:00 PM COLORADO VS. DIXIE (DSU)
3:30 PM SPRINGVILLE VS. HIGHLAND (SC)
3:30 PM CANYON VIEW VS. DESERT HILLS (DSU)
6:00 PM ST GEORGE VS. HIGHLAND (SC)
6:00 PM CEDAR CITY VS. DIXIE (DSU)
8:30 PM CANYON VIEW VS. MINNESOTA (SC)
8:30 PM BLACKSMITH FORK VS. CEDAR (DSU)
Sentinel starting pitcher Chris Petrosie, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Hunter Hansen rounds third base and scores the Sentinels first run of the game, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Sentinels pitcher Chris Petrosie on the mound, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Sentinel shortstop Tyler Johnston scoops up a ground ball, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Third baseman Hunter Hansen makes a play for the Sentinels, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Kash Walker makes contact for the Sentinels, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Kash Walker hustles to first base, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News The Minnesota catcher makes a nice catch behind the plate, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Kash Walker slides in to third base safely, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Hunter Hansen at the plate for the Sentinels, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Jaden Rawlings is tagged out at third base, St. George Sentinels vs. Minnesota Excelsior, Baseball, St. George, Utah, June 25, 2015, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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