Tough weekend on the road for San Juan

The San Juan High School softball and baseball teams each suffered a pair of losses last Friday, March 22 against the Richfield Wildcats.
While the softball team gave up runs late in two close games, the baseball team was dominated in both games of their double header with Richfield.
In game one for the Lady Broncos, Richfield struck first, scoring a couple runs in the top of the first.
The Lady Broncos answered with one run in the bottom of the inning when Gracee Bowers singled to right field and Jalynn Swenson scored, cutting the Lady Wildcats’ lead to one run, 2-1.
Neither team scored for the next inning and a half. San Juan tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third when Sadie Brown scored on an error by the Richfield shortstop.
A scoreless fourth inning gave way to a combined 10 runs in the fifth. The Lady Wildcats reclaimed the lead in the top of the inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-2 lead. But the Lady Broncos didn’t trail for long, as they scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Brown was the first Lady Bronco to cross home plate when she scored on a Shoniya Yanito single. Two batters later, Swenson doubled to center, scoring Madi Palmer and Autumn Allen.
Amber Nielson then hit a fly ball to right field and reached base on an error. Yanito and Swenson scored on the same play, making the score 7-6 in favor of San Juan.
The Lady Broncos weren’t quite finished, though. Bowers picked up her second RBI of the game on a double that scored Nielson and put San Juan up by two runs, 8-6 at the end of five.
Three up and three down was the result for both teams in the sixth inning, but the Wildcats were able to tie the game in the top of the seventh on a two-run homerun.
The Broncos were able to get a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh when Kaitlynne Perkins reached first on an error then made her way to second on a single by Swenson.
A strikeout and an out on a fly ball to center field ended the inning for San Juan, sending the game into extra innings tied up at 8-8.
Richfield took advantage of their opportunities in the top of the eighth. They scored five runs to take a 13-8 lead over San Juan.
Throughout most of the game, the Lady Broncos seemed to have an answer for the Lady Wildcats each time Richfield scored. But in the bottom of the eighth the Lady Broncos went down in order, giving the Lady Wildcats a 13-8 win.
San Juan recorded seven hits in the game with Bowers and Swenson leading the way with two each. The pair also each finished with a double and drove in two RBIs apiece.
Brown, Madi Palmer, and Reagan Workman all finished with one hit each. Palmer also had an RBI, as did Yanito.
Six Lady Broncos finished with at least one run scored: Allen (one), Nielson (one), Swenson (two), Brown (two), Yanito (one) and Palmer (one).
Bowers handled pitching duties for San Juan. She pitched all eight innings, striking out four and walking one while surrendering 13 hits.
The second game of the doubleheader saw the Lady Broncos take a 2-0 lead after one. San Juan’s runs came on an Emilie Palmer single to center that drove in Swenson and a sacrifice fly ball to right by Brown which allowed Bowers to cross the plate.
The Lady Broncos pushed their lead to 5-0 midway through the second inning. Allen scored the first of three runs by the Broncos when she scored on a fielder’s choice.
A sacrifice by Nielson on the next at bat brought home Perkins before a Bowers single drove in Swenson from third.
Down 5-0, the Lady Wildcats responded by scoring eight runs in the bottom of the second to take their first lead of the game, 8-5.
San Juan cut into that lead with a single run in the top of the third when Madi Palmer scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Swenson.
The Lady Wildcats got that run back plus two more in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-6 lead into the fourth.
Richfield added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, increasing their lead to seven runs, 13-6.
San Juan wasn’t quite done yet though. They battled back in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs beginning with a single by Emilie Palmer that brought Swenson in from third.
Three batters later, Allen reached base on an error by the Lady Wildcat shortstop that allowed Bowers to score.
Perkins then singled to center field, scoring Emilie Palmer and Brown and leaving the Lady Broncos down 13-10.
San Juan entered the top of the seventh inning needing three runs to tie and four to win.
Unfortunately the Lady Broncos managed just one run when Swenson scored on a fielder’s choice and the Wildcats handed San Juan their second loss of the day, 13-11.
All nine of San Juan’s players recorded at least one hit in the game, led by Bowers, Emilie Palmer, and Perkins, who finished with three hits each.
Swenson picked up two hits, while Allen, Nielson, Brown, Madi Palmer, and Tianna Sam recorded one apiece.
Emilie Palmer led the way with RBIs, Swenson and Perkins had two each, and Nielson, Brown, and Bowers all finished with one.
Scoring runs for the Broncos were Allen (one), Swenson (four), Brown, (one), Bowers (two), Emilee Palmer (one), Madi Palmer (one), and Perkins (one).
Bowers once again got the start for San Juan. The senior pitched five innings, striking out two, walking one, and giving up ten hits. Swenson came in in relief, pitching one inning in which she walked four and gave up five hits.
The Lady Broncos will have three region games this week. The first was Tuesday, March 26 against Grand. They’re back on the road on Friday, March 29, when they travel to South Sevier for a doubleheader with the first game beginning at 2 p.m.
Baseball
The San Juan High School baseball team was also in Richfield last Friday, March 22 where they opened their 2019 Region 15 schedule with a doubleheader against the Wildcats.
The opening game didn’t go well for the Broncos. They struggled to manufacture runs throughout the game. The Wildcats opened the game with a three-run first inning to take an early 3-0 lead.
Richfield doubled that lead in the top of the third, leaving San Juan trailing 6-0. The Broncos finally got on the board in the bottom of the third when Randall Flavel singled, scoring Trez Perkins to cut the lead down to five runs, 6-1.
The Wildcats added two more runs in the fourth and five in the sixth as they pulled away down the stretch to hand the Broncos a 13-1 loss.
Flavel led the Broncos at the plate, finishing with two hits and an RBI. Perkins, Corbin Palmer, and Tanner Johnson each notched one hit for San Juan with Perkins scoring the only run for the Broncos.
Perkins got the nod to start the game on the hill. The senior went five innings, striking out four and giving up 13 hits.
Davis Mendoza handled relief duties, pitching one inning, striking out one, walking four, and giving up four hits.
In the nightcap, things went from bad to worse for San Juan. The game started out with Richfield taking a one-run lead in the first inning of play.
San Juan scored their only run of the game in the top of the third, briefly tying the game at one.
But an 11-run bottom of the third blew it wide open for the Wildcats, and the Broncos never recovered. Richfield added five more runs in the bottom of the fourth to go up 17-1.
The game was called after the Broncos failed to score the three runs needed to prolong the game in the top of the fifth inning, resulting in a San Juan loss to kick off their region schedule.
Six Broncos finished with a hit in the game. They were Perkins, Mendoza, Kash Shumway, Elijah Lee, Johnson, and Flavel. Perkins, Mendoza, and Johnson each had a double for San Juan.
Corbin Palmer, Shaw Nielson, and Johnson split time on the mound with Palmer getting the start and covering the first two and a third innings.
Palmer finished the game with two strikeouts and three walks while giving up eight hits.
In relief, Nielson and Johnson struck out one, walked nine, and surrendered five hits in a combined one and two thirds innings of work.
The Broncos will host the South Sevier Rams this Friday, March 29 in a doubleheader at Centennial Park in Blanding. The first game is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
Track & Field
The Bronco track and field teams traveled to Price, UT on Saturday, March 24 to compete in the Carbon High Farm Bureau Invitational.
The boys team ended the day finishing 11th out of 20 teams, while the girls team fared a little better, finishing seventh out of 17.
For the boys, Kian Conway, Cooper Black, Lymir Benn, and Jaxon Torgerson placed second in the 4x100 Relay. Jaxon Torgerson placed seventh in the 100 Meters, and Kian Conway placed fifth in Javelin.
In the girls events, Shae Nielson was second and Rachel Barton placed third in the 100 Meter Hurdles. In the 300 Meter Hurdles, Shae Nielson finished in fourth.
Shae Nielson, Tasiah Little, Rachel Barton, and Delaney Palmer finished third in the 4x100 Relay.
In the 4x400 Relay, Shae Nielson, Tasiah Little, Rachel Barton, and Delaney Palmer placed third.
Katie Giddings placed fourth in Discus and seventh in Shot Put.
The San Juan track and field team will be back in action Wednesday, March 27 at the San Juan County Championships in Blanding. The events will start at 3 p.m.

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