| East Carbon senior Andy Farlaino struck out 13 Dugway batters in the first game of Friday’s doubleheader. The Vikings lost both games of their first region matchup against the Mustangs despite Farlaino’s dominating pitching. |
East Carbon baseball took two losses from Dugway in their first game of the season at home on Friday.
The Vikings started their region play with no prior game experience. Dugway had already competed in six games.
Rain plagued the East Carbon’s preseason, causing their two practice games to be cancelled.
The doubleheader began as a defensive battle. East Carbon pitcher Andy Farlaino had three strikeouts through the second inning and Dugway’s Dane Schofield had five.
Dugway scored their first run in the top of the third inning on an overthrown pick-off at third.
In the bottom of the third, Farlaino sparked the offense with a hit to right field. Shortstop Kyle Leonard had the only Viking RBI of the game to score Farlaino, tying Dugway 1-1.
Dugway took the lead back in the top of the fourth with a sacrifice hit and steadily pulled away from East Carbon.
A run in the fifth, two runs in the sixth and a controversial three-run homer in the seventh sealed the game.
East Carbon argued the that the homerun never cleared the fence and only bounced below it for a ground rule double. However, the officials let the homerun call stand.
Farlaino, a senior, led the Vikings with 13 strikeouts and two hits in the first of the two games.
He said the team did well for its first time out.
“I thought we were rusty plus we have a real young team,” Farlaino stated. “But, overall it was pretty good for a first game.”
The second game of the doubleheader looked as though East Carbon had things wrapped up. The Vikings lead the Mustangs 4-2 in the top of the fifth inning.
However, Dugway managed their second three-run homer of the day to take the lead 5-4, which remained the final score.
Assistant coach Lucas Ingram said the team is still moving around a lot, especially in the outfield, and that positions aren’t locked yet.
Both Ingram and head coach Ryan Hepworth are new to the team this year.
Ingram said that everyone is just trying to figuring things out.
“We’re better defensively than offensively, but we’ve been working hard,” Coach Lucas Ingram concluded.
East Carbon will compete against Wasatch Academy at home this Friday. The first game of the doubleheader begins at 2 p.m.