San Juan baseball team sweeps season series with Monticello, Buckaroos shut out Nucla

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The San Juan and Monticello high school baseball teams got their season series out of the way this past week with a home-and-home doubleheader on Tuesday, March 17 and Friday, March 20.
The Broncos won both games decisively, improving to 6-4 on the season. The Buckaroos dropped to 4-4 with the losses.
The longtime rivals squared off in Blanding to start the week on March 17. The home squad plated five runs in the first inning, then added seven more to that lead in the second.
Two more San Juan baserunners came across the plate in the third, stretching the lead to 14-0. Monticello mustered two runs in the top of the fourth, but that was the extent of the Bucks’ offense as the Broncos took the game 14-2.
Nache Young, Brandt Bingham, and Keilan Hutchins all had multi-hit games for San Juan. Young was 4-for-2 with two RBIs. Bingham drove in three Bronco runs and was a perfect 2-for-2. Hutchins was 3-for-2 with two doubles.
Kreed Herring hit a bases-clearing triple, going 1-for-1 on the day with three RBIs. Baylor Nielson, Jonas Jeppesen, and Jagger Nieves all drove in one San Juan run apiece with one hit each.
For Monticello Triston Felix, Arturo Gutierrez, and Jackson Keyes all registered one hit apiece. Felix and Jaeden Camacho scored the runs for the Buckaroos.
On the mound Kreed Herring earned the win for San Juan. He allowed two runs on three hits while striking out six Buckaroos in his four innings of work.
Three days after their first meeting Monticello hosted the Broncos on a beautiful sunny afternoon March 20. This time the Buckaroos opened the game with a lead, scoring one run in their first trip to the plate.
But San Juan exploded for nine runs in the top of the second inning and added five in the third to seize a 14-1 lead.
The home team answered with four runs in the bottom of the third to make the score 14-5, but the Broncos closed out the game with a 6-1 swing in the fourth and fifth innings for a 20-6 final.
Brandt Bingham had a game for the ages for San Juan, going 4-for-4 with seven runs batted in and a home run. Kreed Herring was a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs.
Baylor Nielson was 2-for-5, knocking in a couple Bronco runs. Nache Young, Remy Whatcott, Jonas Jeppesen, and Keilan Hutchins all had one RBI apiece in the win.
Jaeden Camacho had a great day for Monticello, going 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Cache Young was also 2-for-3 with a double and one RBI. Jackson Keyes drove in the other two Buckaroo runs and was 1-for-2.
Baylor Nielson got the win for San Juan, allowing five runs on just two hits while striking out eight Monticello batters in four innings. Jagger Nieves allowed one run on two hits in one inning of relief.
In between the two rivalry games Monticello welcomed Nucla, CO to town for an early-season matchup.
It was the first game of the season for the Mustangs and the Buckaroos made them regret their trip to southeastern Utah with an 11-0 domination.
Monticello plated three runs in the first inning, added four in the second, then two each in the fourth and fifth to close out their fourth win of the season.
Triston Felix led the offensive attack for the Buckaroos with a 3-for-3 day, driving in two runs with two doubles. Jackson Keyes was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Kord Young collected three RBIs on a bases-clearing triple. Grant Wigginton and Jaeden Camacho also had RBIs in the win.
Felix pitched a very impressive five-inning two-hitter, striking out 11 of the 19 Nucla batters he faced. It’s already his third win of the season and he leads the state with 47 strikeouts so far.
Both San Juan and Monticello were gearing up for a couple of key 2A South games this week at the San Juan Record print deadline.
The Broncos hosted North Sevier on Tuesday, March 24 with the Buckaroos traveling to Moab to face Grand County.
On Friday, March 27 San Juan will complete their season series with the Wolves in Salina and Monticello will close their series with the Red Devils in Monticello.