Faith Lutheran baseball gets fast start in victory

Faith Lutheran’s baseball team put first-year coach David Anderson at ease earlier than expected Saturday afternoon.

The sixth-ranked Crusaders scored in each of the first four innings, and their pitching staff combined on a two-hitter in a 7-0 win over visiting Canyon View (Utah).

Anderson was grateful for a 6-0 lead after three innings.

“Doesn’t happen all the time, but it’s nice,” he said. “Pitching with a lead is a lot easier. You don’t have to nitpick. Every pitch isn’t stressful. You’re trying to get outs as quick as you can. It just makes baseball easier.”

Zack Trageton, the team’s ace, opened the first inning with four consecutive strikeouts in front of nearly 10 pro scouts. Canyon View No. 2 hitter Cadyn Clark reached on a dropped third strike, which allowed Trageton to face a fourth batter.

Faith Lutheran’s Brandon Davis and Jake Koentopp started the bottom of the inning with consecutive singles, then attempted a double steal with Joshua Harmonay at the plate. Canyon View catcher Joey Mackelprang threw the ball into left field, allowing Davis to score and Koentopp to reach third. Koentopp scored on Harmonay’s groundout.

The Crusaders (7-0) put up three more runs in the second inning with two outs. Sagan Gronauer doubled and scored on a fielding error by Canyon View second baseman Joey Lambeth. Two batters later, Koentopp hit a double just inside the left-field line on a hit-and-run to score Liam Bredin and Davis and make it 5-0.

“We did a good job. We executed, moved guys over,” Anderson said. “We’re a scrappy bunch. We have to be able to execute and manufacture runs. We don’t have the consistent three-run home run. We don’t live and die by that. We need to move runners around and steal bags.”

Trageton threw first-pitch strikes to eight of the 11 batters he faced before switching to first base after three innings. He gave up one hit, one walk and struck out six.

“When he’s throwing strikes, that’s really all we want,” Anderson said. “Just be the aggressor on the mound. He tends to not be as aggressive as he should be with his fastball, so that was really nice to see him go after them today.”

Derek Von Hake, who pinch ran for Trageton early on, scored in the third on an error by Canyon View shortstop Clark to make it 6-0, and Bredin hit an RBI single in the fourth to plate Robby Schwartz.

Josh Brown pitched two innings of relief to get the win, and Dominic Grant and Kyle Poser each pitched an inning. Faith Lutheran’s pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and two walks.

Canyon View pitcher Jackson Vasi gave up nine hits and seven runs, striking out three and walking one, in six innings.

Trace Hardin and Xavier Stoker each went 1-for-3 for Canyon View, which finished with four errors.

Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson