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Sandy • If the script was for the No. 1 seed to roll in the first round, Pleasant Grove hadn't heard about it.
The Vikings tore up that plan early, getting on a roll to build up a 6-0 lead. And just as it seemed Jordan was closing in on an inspiring comeback in the bottom of the seventh, Pleasant Grove halted the rally with a run to spare, clinching a 6-5 win over the Beetdiggers in the first round of the Class 5A state baseball tournament.
If anyone wasn't surprised, it was the Vikings.
"It just proves how tough our region is: We were battle-tested and ready to go," Vikings coach Dallin Henry said. "The ability to get on these guys early was key for us."
Pleasant Grove's hitters rocked lefty ace Morgan Gomez in the first, nearly batting through the lineup on four hits by jumping on first pitches and fastballs. Zach Peterson got them on the board with an RBI triple then scored on an error. Payton Henry later batted in two runs with a double. The Beetdiggers reeled, but they were able to recover. Gomez went on to strike out 10. But the run support was slow to come thanks to some standout pitching from Brandon Coombs, who held the normally potent Jordan lineup to only three hits through the first five innings. He forced plenty of pop ups and grounders in his start.
"Even in the tight situations, I tried to keep my cool," Coombs said. "I have the defense behind me. They're my brothers out here. I know they've got my back."
The offense also had Coombs' back, scoring two more runs in the top of the fourth on RBIs by Braden King and Easton Walker.
That cued a comeback attempt by the Diggers, which began with a solo home run by hard-slugging catcher Colton Shaver. Three more runs in the sixth put Jordan in striking distance.
The Beetdiggers looked to be in prime position to spoil Pleasant Grove's Cinderella bid with the bases loaded with one out in the seventh. A throwing error after a line-drive catch allowed another run, but Jordan fell short with a final ground out to third.
While the Vikings celebrated, the Beetdiggers took some hope out of their close loss. —
Pleasant Grove scores road upset
• The Vikings rock Jordan for nine hits to take an early 6-0 lead
• Brandon Coombs earns the win, holding the Diggers to seven hits
• Ty Stevenson goes 3 for 3 and scores twice in the win —
Tournament schedule
O Wednesday
All games at 4 p.m.
Winners bracket
• American Fork at Syracuse
• Bingham at Taylorsville
• Davis at Riverton
• Pleasant Grove at Layton
Losers bracket
• Kearns at Alta
• Fremont at Cottonwood
• Copper Hills at West
• Viewmont at Jordan