High school baseball: Lone Peak advances, 5A tourney resumes

SPRINGVILLE — Like the majority of teams in the 5A state baseball tournament, the Lone Peak Knights endured three days of weather watching and constant thoughts of "will we or won't be playing today."

When the reigning 5A state champions finally returned to the diamond, they overcame inclement conditions, rust and an upstart team. The Knights defeated Syracuse, 14-7, on a soggy morning-early afternoon at Springville High in the first round of the 5A tournament on Friday.

Lone Peak didn't play its best against the Titans, but all that mattered to the Knights was that they were back playing, and advancing in the state tournament. It certainly was an improvement from practicing indoors the previous three days.

"It was tough," said Knights coach Mike LaHargoue. "Being inside is hard. The facilities are not very good, and swings aren't as good. You know, we're playing, we're playing, we're not playing. Mentally it's a tough grind on the kids so it's nice to just get out."

Sophomore pitcher Parker Kinkade is glad the mental grind is done.

"It just kind of messes with you when you're not sure if you're going to play," he said. "But we came out and got a win."

Kinkade had the toughest job of any of the Knights, throwing in a constant drizzle in the early innings. He also dealt with a brief weather delay and some early control issues. But he got better as the game progressed and allowed just three hits in 6 1-3 innings.

"Parker did a good job relaxing in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings," LaHargoue said.

The Knights broke out their bats — as well as the ability to take advantage of mistakes — in their win. Lone Peak scored its second-highest run-total of the season, and was led offensively by Dakota Murdock. He had three hits, including a triple. Kinkade helped himself with two hits, and Mike Draper had a triple.

"Early in the game, we didn't play well," LaHargoue said. "It was a rainy, sprinkly, cold day that you put the ball in play, who knows what's going to happen."

Lone Peak will play Bingham in a second-round game today. It is a rematch of a 2010 tournament game won by the Knights, 2-1, and a matchup that features the only two teams to be ranked No. 1 in 5A this season.

"Bingham is a tough team," LaHargoue said. "They're always tough. I don't know if they've ever had a down year. We got to step our game up. We looked a little rusty from not being outside."

Syracuse, which was in its first state baseball tournament game in school history against Lone Peak, will play Cyprus in the one-loss bracket today.

Email: aaragon@desnews.com