Gunnison Valley baseball cruises over South Sevier, falls to Grantsville

GUNNISON—The Gunnison Valley baseball squad played like their lives depended on it against South Sevier at home last Friday, following a tough non-region loss to the Grantsville Cowboys 13-3 on Thursday.

The Bulldogs leveraged a big mid-game surge and a balanced offensive effort to defeat the Rams 17-7 in six innings.

Gunnison finished with 17 runs on 14 hits, taking control with seven runs in the third and fourth innings, and an eight-run fifth to pull away. South Sevier scored seven runs on six hits but could not keep pace after briefly closing the gap in the fourth.

Gunnison Valley made the best of its lineup, led by Waylon Sorenson, who went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and five RBIs, including two home runs. Braxton Pickett added a 2-for-3 performance with two runs and three RBIs, which included a homer. Daxton Knudsen went 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs. Kason Brackett also contributed, finishing 4-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.

The Bulldogs applied early pressure, scoring once in the second inning before breaking the game open in the third. Gunnison Valley added three more runs in the fourth, and then put the game out of reach with its eight-run performance in the fifth inning.

Knudsen earned the win for the Bulldogs, allowing five runs over four innings while striking out six. Landry Edwards provided two innings of relief, giving up two runs and striking out six.

Gunnison Valley also pressured the Rams on the bases, finishing with seven steals in the game.

Bulldog head coach Chad Avery said his team is enjoying itself on the diamond as the season progresses.

“We’re building off of every game,” he said. “These young men are just loving it. They’re loving the game of baseball right now, and it’s awesome to watch.”

The 2A Region 15 standings show a clear split between the top and bottom half early in league play, with Gunnison Valley and San Juan tied atop the standings at 4-0 in region games.

Gunnison Valley holds a slight edge statistically, having outscored opponents 52-7 in region play and posting an 11-2 overall record, while San Juan sits at 8-4 overall. South Sevier sits in third at 2-2 in region play and 6-6 overall, maintaining a middle position despite a two-game losing streak. The lower half of the standings features Grand County and Monticello, both at 1-3 in region contests, with Monticello holding a stronger overall mark at 5-5 compared to Grand County’s 1-10. North Sevier rounds out the standings at 0-4 in region play despite a winning 7-5 overall record.

A tough loss to Grantsville

Gunnison Valley hung tough early, matching the Grantsville Cowboys inning for inning, but a single explosive frame ultimately proved too much for the Bulldogs to overcome.

Gunnison Valley stayed within reach through the first four innings before the Cowboys broke things open with a six-run fifth, pulling away for a 13-3 win in non-region play on Thursday.

Gunnison Valley trailed 4-1 entering the fifth and had shown signs of settling in, but a string of walks and well-timed hits allowed Grantsville to seize control. The big inning stretched the lead to 10-1 in favor of the Cowboys and shifted momentum firmly to the visitors.

The Bulldogs managed to answer with runs in the fourth and sixth innings but couldn’t string together enough offense to mount a comeback, finishing with six hits.

Waylon Sorenson turned in a standout performance at the plate for Gunnison Valley, going a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI and accounting for two of the team’s six hits. Knudsen and Edwards contributed an RBI and each added a hit, while Edwards also scored a run.

On the mound, Gunnison Valley used multiple arms in an effort to slow Grantsville’s offense. Pickett worked 2 2/3 innings and struck out seven, while Dillon Dyreng and Edwards also saw time. Despite the effort, the Bulldogs issued 11 walks, which proved costly as Grantsville capitalized on them throughout the game.

Defensively, Gunnison Valley committed two errors but also turned in several clean plays in the field to limit further damage.
Grantsville finished with 13 runs on eight hits in the win.

Gunnison Valley bests South Sevier on the road

Gunnison Valley put together one of its most complete performances of the season against South Sevier on Tuesday, using dominant hitting and pitching to shut out the Rams 11-0 in region play.

The Bulldogs, playing on the road, set the tone early, scoring twice in the second inning before breaking the game open with four runs in the fourth and adding five more in the sixth. Gunnison Valley finished with 11 runs on 11 hits while taking advantage of four South Sevier errors.

At the plate, Gunnison Valley saw contributions throughout the lineup. Knudsen led the way, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Porter Comin also drove in two runs and added a hit. Edwards finished with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored, and several others chipped in as the Bulldogs piled up consistent offensive pressure. Brackett and Dyreng also added two runs apiece.
The Bulldogs also stayed aggressive on the bases, swiping nine total steals.

Sorenson delivered a standout performance on the mound, tossing a complete-game shutout. The senior allowed just three hits over six innings while striking out an impressive 16 batters and walking two.