This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sandy • Jordan's Colton Shaver singled in a run, threw out a runner and turned in 21⁄3 innings of no-hit relief, but ultimately his biggest contribution in Friday's baseball game against Cottonwood was his patience.
He simply stood in the batter's box and did nothing.
Nothing but draw a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh inning.
It proved to be a winning move.
Jordan scored the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a Cottonwood error that allowed the Beetdiggers to pull out a 6-5 win.
"He's only gotten out once in our [three-game] series against Cottonwood, and he showed great patience in that last at-bat," Jordan coach Ron Anderson said.
After Shaver drew the walk, Mason Kruger bunted the runner to second. Shaver advanced to third with two outs on a wild pitch before scoring when Tanner McCarthy's ground ball to shortstop took a bad hop.
Jordan's Conner Ogden set the tone for the game when he led off the game with a double. He scored on a Shaver single, and Tyler Swan singled in a run later in the inning to get the Beetdiggers going.
Jordan chased Cottonwood starter Hunter Smith with three runs in the third to take a 5-0 lead. It appeared to be plenty big enough for Jordan considering the way Jacob Dirkson was pitching. The junior lefty, who was making just his second varsity start, didn't allow a hit until one out in the fifth when Palmer Powis cleared the outstretched glove of McCarthy at second.
It was the start of a five-run inning. Josh Shapiro and Jordan Martinez followed with singles. Jake Pennnington singled in a run, and after a walk and a hit batter, Jake Atkinson singled in a run to help the Colts tie the game.
Shaver took off his catcher's gear to relieve Dirkson and get the final out of the inning to set up the dramatic conclusion.
The win helped Jordan improve to 4-2 in Region 3 play while Cottonwood fell to 2-4. —
Highlights
O Jordan opens a five-run lead after three innings, but Cottonwood storms back to tie the game in the fifth inning.
• Jordan improves to 4-2 in Region 3.
• Jordan wins the region series 2-1 after dropping the first game.