3A high school baseball: Behind Begay, Juan Diego soars past rival Judge

OREM — Before Juan Diego pitcher A.J. Begay ever took the mound against Judge Memorial, the Soaring Eagle had an 0-8 lifetime record against their Catholic school rivals.

But with Begay on the bump, Juan Diego has taken two straight over Judge in the last three weeks, the second of which was a 5-2 victory in the 3A winners' bracket final on Friday afternoon. The win puts the Soaring Eagle in the driver's seat, as they need just one win today to claim their first 3A baseball championship.

Judge, meanwhile, plays Cedar at 9 a.m. for the right to play Juan Diego at 11:30 a.m.

Begay wasn't as dominant as he was in Juan Diego's 11-0 win over Judge on April 27, but the result was the same. That can probably be attributed to a sore foot he was pitching on. He lasted six innings on Friday, allowing just three hits in the first five innings of his outing. He kept the Bulldogs off balance by varying his speeds and using his devastating slider.

Begay said Juan Diego's current two-game winning streak over Judge has nothing to do with him. It's simply that his team can now match Judge's talent – and anyone else in 3A for that matter.

"Our team has just been really great this year," Begay said. "Our team chemistry, our bench, the mound, hitting, defense has all been really solid this year. It's all up to us. It's not just me. It's our team."

Begay was right in that he was backed by a lineup that quickly gave him a lead and allowed him to relax on the big stage at UVU. His defense also came through with some clutch plays, but Begay has to be credited for quieting what's usually a high-powered Judge lineup.

"He was amazing," said first baseman/pitcher Caleb Olson, who relieved Begay in the seventh. "That was exactly what we wanted and what we were hoping for."

Juan Diego's quick start off of Judge ace A.J. Carman was just what Begay was hoping for. Yuto Cata hit a two-run single in the first to give the Soaring Eagle the lead, and Olson followed up with a two-run triple. Drew Tate blasted a home run over the right-field fence in the third to add to Juan Diego's advantage.

Different players have stepped up at the plate for the Soaring Eagle during their run in the 3A tournament, and it was Cata's turn on Friday.

"That's the way it's been all year," said Juan Diego coach Steve Cramblitt. "You can't go 24-2 or whatever it is and not have multiple guys hit the ball for you. Hopefully, we can do it again tomorrow."

Olson, who threw a complete game on Thursday, was fired up to get a chance to close the game. After he tripled in the first, he was hit by a pitch in the third and nearly beaned again in the fifth. He got his revenge on the mound, retiring the Bulldogs 1-2-3 in the seventh.

"I looked at his eyes and I knew he was the guy to send out there," Cramblitt said.

E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com