San Juan baseball builds midseason momentum with five straight wins

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The San Juan High School baseball team continued to build early-season momentum with two big 2A East region wins over North Sevier on March 24 and 27.
With the wins the Broncos improved to 8-4 on the season and 4-0 in region play. They’re riding a five-game winning streak as they head into the heart of the regular season.
On Tuesday, March 24 the Wolves paid a visit to Blanding where San Juan were not very hospitable hosts.
Both teams mustered one run in their first inning at-bats, but the Broncos seized firm control of the game with a seven-run outburst in the second.
San Juan continued to stretch their already sizeable lead with another outpouring of offense in the third inning, making the score 13-1.
Already in comfortable position for a mercy-rule conclusion to the game, the Broncos added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to close out a convincing 16-1 victory over their region foes.
San Juan was very impressive at the plate, collecting 16 runs in the game while holding North Sevier to just two. Keilan Hutchins and Brandt Bingham homered in the win.
Freshman Kreed Herring led the way individually with a five-RBI showing. He was 2-for-2 with a triple and double. He also got the win on the mound, striking out 11 of the 15 batters he faced.
Nache Young was a perfect 3-for-3, driving in two Bronco runs with a triple. Hutchins was 2-for-2 with the homer and three RBIs. Bingham was 2-for-3 with the homer and two RBIs.
Remy Whatcott and Baylor Nielson both drove in one San Juan run apiece in the win. Whatcott was 1-for-3 with a double; Nielson was 1-for-2.
Grady Lacy was 2-for-3 with a double and Jagger Nieves was 2-for-2. Both scored two runs apiece for the Broncos. In addition to all the offense on the day, a solid San Juan defense was also key in the win.
On Friday, March 27 the team closed out their season series with the Wolves with a trip to Salina. This time the Broncos had more of a fight on their hands in a much closer game.
They did get a quick start when they scored four runs in the top of the second, but North Sevier answered to tie the game with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third.
San Juan re-took the lead in the top of the fourth with a couple of runs, and again the Wolves battled back, pulling to within one in the bottom of the fourth.
The Broncos got that run back in the top of the fifth inning, making the score 7-5. Neither team scored in the sixth.
San Juan got some insurance and ultimately another win with a nice four-run seventh inning, making the final score 11-5.
Nache Young drove in three Bronco runs in the win. He was 1-for-4 with a double. Jonas Jeppesen was 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Brandt Bingham, Jonah John, and Keilan Hutchins were all 2-for-4 on the day. Bingham hit a double; John and Hutchins had one RBI apiece.
Jagger Nieves, Grady Lacy, Baylor Nielson, and Kreed Herring all had one hit each. Lacy, Nielson, and Herring drove in one run apiece.
San Juan was rolling along until the bottom of the third when they ran into defensive trouble. North Sevier scored four runs on starting pitcher Jagger Nieves, but only one of them was earned.
Kreed Herring took over on the mound in the fourth inning and closed out the win with a very solid relief performance.
Nieves struck out seven of the 14 batters he faced. Herring allowed one unearned run on one hit and struck out nine.
With their 8-4 overall record the Broncos were ranked fifth in the Utah 2A rankings at the San Juan Record print deadline.
The team was eager to get back to action after a week off for spring break. At the beginning of the week they were set for another 2A East home-and-home series.
San Juan hosted #6 South Sevier on Tuesday, April 7 after the print deadline. They will travel to Monroe to take on the Rams on Friday, April 10.