SALT LAKE CITY – By Cari Doutre – May 18, 2021
The Thunder from Desert Hills High School in St. George had no idea that they were going up against when they faced the Bear River High School baseball team in the 2021 4A state baseball playoffs on May 17.
Going into the third round of the state playoffs at Salt Lake Community College, Desert Hills was the number one seed in 4A baseball while Bear River was the eighth seed in the tournament. But the Bears started out strong putting two runs on the scoreboard by the third inning and held the Thunder scoreless for the first five innings.
Senior Easton Lish had an RBI single in the first inning and Taden Marble brought one in for the Bears in the second inning. Both went 2-for-4 at the plate while Hunter Smoot went 2-for-3.
With Bear River’s Derek Dean and Ashton Harrow on the mound for the Bears, Desert Hills didn’t get on the scoreboard until the bottom of the sixth inning scoring four runs. They added two more runs in the seventh inning tying it up 6-6.
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Battling in the top of the eighth inning, Taden Marble singled on a hard ground ball to right field bringing in freshman Talon Marble. Hunter Harrow scored on a wild pitch from Desert Hills for the 8-6 lead.
Ashton Harrow struck out one in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Bears before shortstop Smoot and first baseman Lish earned the double play shutting down the top ranked 4A team in state.
Up next for the Bear River High baseball team will be Region 11’s Mountain Crest High School on Tuesday, May 18, at 4:30 p.m. at Salt Lake Community College, as the Bears continue the 4A state tournament. The Bears went 1-2 in their three-game series against the Mustangs May 4-6, in Region 11 play.
Find an updated (as of May 17) 2021 4A State Baseball bracket below.
Wrapping up the past two weeks for the Bear River High baseball team, the Bears finished third in Region 11 behind Ridgeling High and Mountain Crest.
Making the All-Region 11 First Team for the Bears was Easton Lish, Jarett Giles, Taden Marble and Ashton Harrow. Earning an All-Region honorable mention included Marcus Callister, Hunter Smoot and Hunter Harrow.
Photos by John Fronk
