ST. GEORGE — They’re baaaaack!

Spanish Fork dominated Dixie in the title game of the Dixie Sunshine Classic and recaptured the preseason tourney championship Saturday night, like it has so many times before.

For eight years, the machine that is the Spanish Fork baseball program visited southern Utah each spring and came away with the championship trophy from the Dixie Sunshine Classic Tournament. But last year, behind the arm of Trevor Cox and the hitting of Braxton Ipson, Tyson Graff and Jesse Lambert, the host Flyers sent the Utah County school home with its tail between its legs in a 6-4 victory in the championship game.

This time around, the Dons left no doubt they’d be carving their names on the tourney plaque once again as Spanish Fork scored three runs in the first inning, seven in the second inning and five more in the third inning in striking out to a 15-0 advantage to start the game.

But it wasn’t all about the SF bats. In fact, the Dons had just five hits in the 15-run start. Dixie pitchers (all three of them) had trouble locating the plate, issuing 10 walks and hitting three batters in the first three innings. Brady Bate’s triple in the second inning chased in three runs, but the three runners had reached on a single, an HBP and a walk. HUnter Hayes, the hard-hitting Spanish Fork catcher, doubled in a run, but also had two RBI’s via walks that forced runners home.

Dixie did finally get a run home via an RBI single by Ipson in the bottom of the third, plating Chris Petrosie, who had also singled earlier in the inning.

The Flyers reached the championship game by defeating Wasatch earlier in the day by a 10-5 final. Petrosie got the win on the mound in that game as Dixie broke open a 1-1 tie with five runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Wasps pulled to within 6-5 in the sixth inning, but Dixie surged forward with four more runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game away.

Dixie, 5-3, is home to Desert Hills in the two teams’ region opener Tuesday night at 7 p.m. They then meet up at DH Friday night also at 7 p.m.

Maple Mountain 6, Desert Hills 5
Desert Hills 12, Carbon 1

In a tournament like the Desert Hills Invitational, time limits have to be set so there’s time to get all the games in. Unfortunately, the Thunder fell victim to the time limit in the tourney semifinals, losing to Maple Mountain 6-5 in five innings.

DH scored a run and got the bases loaded with just one out in the bottom of the fifth, but a strikeout and a popout ended the rally and gave the game to the Golden Eagles.

Desert Hills rebounded with late win against Carbon, a dominating mercy-rule victory. Braiden Irvin doubled and scored three runs and Dylan File hit his first home run as a high schooler, a grand slam no less, to lead the way. Brayson Hurdsman got his second win of the season on the mound.

DH is at Dixie Tuesday night at 7 p.m. to start Region 9 play.

Stats: cardh31514 mmdh31514

Kanab 12, Hurricane 11

Believe it or not, this game was tied at 5-5 going into the seventh inning. The Cowboys scored seven in the top of the inning, then held on for dear life as Hurricane rallied, but fell a run short in the bottom of the inning.

Cody LeBaron doubled for the Tigers, who fell to 5-3. Hurricane is home to Pine View Tuesday night to open region play.

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