High school baseball: Riverton romps its way to a soggy, rain-soaked rout over Kearns

KEARNS — Riverton catcher Davis Johnson may have previously played in conditions like he did on Tuesday afternoon — as the quarterback of the Silverwolves' football team.

With lakes on the corners and behind shortstop, a steady drizzle that eventually became a downpour, Johnson led Riverton to an 18-3 win over Kearns in six innings in a game that was played in football-like conditions.

"When I'm looking out and seeing water across the field, it's one for the ages," said Riverton coach Jay Applegate said. "Put that in the books."

Perhaps no other field in the state could hold up against the weather quite like Gates Field, and that was one of the reasons why Riverton's blowout win wasn't postponed. Another reason was the two teams didn't want to get backed up in Region 3 play. The teams in the league play each other three times in a week.

Johnson got the Silverwolves off to a hot start in the dreary conditions. He blasted a three-run homer over the left-field fence to give Riverton a 4-0 first-inning lead. Johnson and the rest of the fifth-ranked Silverwolves slumped in a tournament in Las Vegas last week, as they went 1-3 against tough competition.

"It was relieving," Johnson said of his home run. "I've been trying to fix my swing. Applegate's been helping me."

Johnson's blast helped Riverton relax and gain some confidence against the upstart Cougars.

"He got us off to a good start," Applegate said.

Pitchers had the toughest jobs and the most pressure on them in Tuesday's wet weather. Lefty Tanner Banks started for Riverton and scattered seven hits in five innings. He gave up a two-run homer by Chase Harrison in the second inning to allow the Cougars to get within 6-2. But he earned some redemption in the fifth when he struck Harrison out with the bases loaded to get out of the inning.

Devin Deweerdt closed the game and allowed Kearns to load the bases with one out. He got out of it when third baseman Bryson Lay turned a double play.

"In these types of conditions, you just gotta battle," Applegate said of his pitchers. "It's tough. For those who haven't pitched in these kinds of conditions, it's extremely hard to do, and I thought they did well. I was proud of them."

Nathan Slaymaker had two doubles and two RBIs for Riverton and Roger Weber had three hits. The Silverwolves put the game away with seven runs in the sixth, as reserve Zack Harris hit a two-run triple and Nick Jones came off the bench to hit an RBI single.

"It was a good win in really long, dragged-on game," Johnson said.

Riverton improved to 4-0 in Region 3 and 7-4 overall. Kearns dropped to 1-3 and 5-5. The teams are scheduled to play two more games this week, weather permitting.

E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com