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ST. GEORGE — It wasn't inevitable, but it sure seemed like it.
Juan Diego captured its third straight state 3A baseball championship by blasting Canyon View 13-2 Saturday afternoon at Dixie College's Hurst Field.
In five state playoff games, the Soaring Eagle outscored their opponents 48-11. Only one team scored more than three runs on Juan Diego (Desert Hills lost 8-4) and the Soaring Eagle capped the amazing run by dominating the state championship game from the get-go.
The only drama in the game after Juan Diego scored three in the first, one in the second and three in the third, was if the Soaring Eagle would invoke high school's 10-run mercy rule. Canyon View avoided that ignominious result by scoring a couple of runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 10-2 game. Juan Diego scored thrice in the seventh to push the margin back up over 10.
"We've worked so hard for this all year, from way back in the summer and fall," Juan Diego second baseman Yuto Kata said. "I think we always knew that if we put the time in we would do this again."
Kata and his teammates left no doubt early in this game, scoring early and often. Canyon View had played Juan Diego a close 4-2 game in the quarterfinals of the tourney Thursday night. But the championship game was never close.
"That was the plan coming in," Soaring Eagle head coach Troy Davis said. "We wanted to get ahead early and let our defense and pitching do the rest."
Led by University of Utah signee Kody Davis (who is the coach's son), Juan Diego's defense was spectacular. Davis seemed to be everywhere and the infield worked like a well-oiled machine.
"Kody and Yuto have been here for all three championships," Coach Davis said. "Add in Brock (Garn) at third and Ryan (Taylor) at first, these guys don't take a back seat to anyone. They're going to be hard to replace."
Garn is the only returner next year from that infield.
Flying under the radar was pitcher Croden Carr. The junior hurler was solid as the starter in this championship game. He kept Canyon View off-balance and allowed just two hits and four walks. Both runs scored by the Falcons were unearned.
And while Carr was mowing them down, the Juan Diego offense was jumping all over a tired Canyon View pitching staff.
Kata and Garn followed two first-inning errors by Canyon View with base hits. Taylor had an RBI groundout and Garn's sharp single plated a pair of runs, making it 3-0 before Canyon View had even unpacked their bats.
Davis had a sacrifice fly to chase home Carr in the second inning, making it 4-0. The Soaring Eagle then broke the game open for good with a three-run rally in the third inning and another three-run effort in the fourth.
Kata caromed a shot off the left field fence to knock two runs home and push the lead to 10-0. It was a sweet weekend for Kata, who will play his collegiate ball at Hurst Field for the Dixie State Red Storm.
Juan Diego, which finished the year 24-4, may have a tougher go of it next year. The Region 9 trio of Snow Canyon, Pine View and Dixie return to 3A, as does traditional power Spanish Fork.
"I'll tell you, I have a lot of respect for these southern Utah teams," Davis said. "Canyon View and Desert Hills compete hard. And next year you add the rest of that region, plus Spanish Fork. It should be fun."
Canyon View (22-8) beat Desert Hills 7-4 earlier in the day to earn the right to play Juan Diego. The Falcons got a double by Braden Nicholes and a single by Kameron King, but were otherwise kept in check by Carr, who captured his fifth victory of the year.
