The two game Region 10 matchup between the two southern Utah powerhouses, that matched up in the 4A State Championship a year ago, lived up to its billing. 

The 2021 4A Champ Snow Canyon Warriors and the 2022 4A State Champions, the Crimson Cliffs Mustangs played home and home tilts on Tuesday at Crimson and on Friday took it across town to Snow Canyon. Both teams came away with 1-0 victories on their home turf. 

On Tuesday night the Mustangs co-ace LHP-Jaiven Ross, a Salt Lake CC signee, combined with the 3rd ace for the Mustangs (if they played three region games a week down south), RHP-Aaron Morris, a Cal-State Monterey Bay signee for a a 1-0 combined NO-HITTER at Crimson Cliffs. 

On Friday, Crimson went with co-ace LHP-Beau Sampson, a Salt Lake CC signee himself vs the Warriors Sr pitcher Coden Herman, who threw a 7 inning CG game 5 hit SHO, while waking only a single batter and striking out 8, to seal the 1-0 victory over the Mustangs at Snow Canyon. 

The Mustangs now 13-3 and PBR Utah’s preseason #2 ranked team, came into the week ranked #6, as a collision course was on its way vs the Warriors at now 15-3 and slotted in at #11 in the preseason, made for two breathtaking games. This weeks stalwarts came in as mentioned with the Mustangs at #6 and the Warriors at #8. Now that both teams have knocked each other off by 1-0 nail biters, it will make for some interesting decisions come next Monday, when the Week 5 Power 25 is released! 

In Game one Ross toiled 5 NO-HIT innings with 2 walks and 10 K outs, while Morris, the half-brother of New York Yankees ‘22 second round draft pick, RHP-Drew Thorpe a Desert Hills legend, tossed the final two frames to complete the combined no-no with one walk and 4 K outs of his own. SS-Petey Soto provided the games deciding blow, as he hit a scorching double to the LCF wall to score CF-Tyler West, who reached on a dropped 3rd strike and scored all the way from 1B on the double with his blinding speed. The Mustangs reached base 6 times throughout the game on 3 base hits and 3 walks. 3B-Ty Maynard and C-Brexten Starley managed the other two hits, along with Ty’s brother Tate drawing a walk and Starley the other 2 walks to go along with his single. All told Starley reached base 3 of the 6 times the Mustangs put runners on, while catching the No-Hitter! 

On Friday at Warrior Field, as mentioned Herman, the younger brother of Utah Tech starting pitcher and former Snow Canyon star pitcher Carston Herman was the star on the mound. In the bottom of the 7th inning with the score knotted at ZERO, Kyson Goates flies out to CF, then RF-Makaio Swensen takes a one out walk, followed by another one out walk to 2B-Damon Ence. Now with runners at 2nd and 3rd, the Mustangs head coach, Justin Abbott decides to intentionally walk 1B-Braden Loveland to load the bases to set up a double play scenario at any base. Warriors catcher Hayden Smith, one of their biggest bats in the lineup with 6 HR’s and 15 extra base hits, notches an infield single to SS, and records the walk off hit in driving home his 23rd RBI of the season. 

The two state powers return to the diamond next Tuesday and Friday with Crimson Cliffs taking on Pine View, while Snow Canyon takes on the Cedar Reds. It’s safe to say, both squads could capture sweeps in their those two games and with both clubs having 6 region games left, it could come down to the wire for the Region title, but the 4-0 region leader Dixie Flyers sit a game up in the pole position and will have something to say about that. Dixie has 8 region games remaining. 

So far with the horrendous weather conditions up north, where only Ridgeline has played the only Region 11 home game in the Cache Valley, who also hasn’t played any games in 3 WEEKS. So until fields are cleared and the northern clubs, who have to pack in close to 20 games into the month of April and 1st week of May, the North hasn’t established who will be contending with the southern powerhouses...Stay tuned!

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JEFF SCHOLZEN (BIO)

Scholzen was brought on as the Utah Scouting Director for Prep Baseball Report after serving 9 years as the Four Corners Scouting Supervisor with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-2020). Prior to his run with the Brewers, Scholzen worked for the Los Angeles Angels for 11 years (1999-2010), serving in a similar capacity as the Four Corners Scouting Supervisor. In all, Scholzen served as a full-time scout for 20 years. Scholzen also received a 2002 World Series ring for his contributions as a scout. 

With the Angels, Scholzen created an Angels Scout Team, in which he coached the likes of current and former major league players: Kris Bryant, Kevin Gausman, Greg Bird, Tyler Wagner, Aaron Blair, Joey Rickard, Donn Roach, Johnny Field, Taylor Cole and Paul Sewald to name a few. During his run with the the Angels, Scholzen served as the hitting coach for the Angels rookie ball affiliate with the Pioneer League Orem Owlz, helping guide the Owlz to the 2005 and 2007 Pioneer League titles.

Prior to becoming a professional scout, Scholzen served as the head coach at Southern Utah University between 1993-1997. At the time, Scholzen was the youngest Division I head coach when he was first hired at 24 years old. The Southern Utah baseball program was dropped after the 2012 season. While coaching at Southern Utah, Scholzen served as the hitting coach for the Alaska Goldpanners in 1995, as they won the Alaska League Championship. 

A native of Utah, Scholzen played at Hurricane HS and was twice named 1st team All-State and an AAU HM All-American, before moving on to Utah Valley CC and Eastern Oregon University, earning All-Conference honors on three separate occasions. Scholzen played in the Angels’ organization from 1991-1992.