Huge rally propels Lone Peak past American Fork in extra innings
Lone Peak player Trey Gambill (20) runs to the home plate during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Lone Peak players hug one another after their team scored a bevy of home runs during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Lone Peak Players celebrate their victory against American Fork Cavemen at a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
American Fork pitcher Travis Johnson throws the ball during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Lone Peak pitcher throws the ball as American Fork Cavemen look on during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Caveman Tanner Holden prepares himself at bat during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
A Caveman player reacts to a play during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Cavemen celebrate a home run during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Cavemen pat Peyton Wilson's head after he scored a home run during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
A Lone Peak player runs to third base as a Caveman player runs after a ball during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7.( Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Caveman Tanner Holden pitches during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
An umpire declares a Lone Peak player safe as a Cavemen catcher scrambles to get the ball during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7.(Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
A Cavemen player tags a Lone Peak player at second base during a 6A semifinal game on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, at UCCU Ballpark at UVU in Orem. Lone Peak won the game with a final score of 8 to 7. (Photo by Natalie Behring, special to the Daily Herald)
Lone Peak’s Trey Gambill was so excited he almost forgot to touch first base.
Forgive him for his momentary delirium: Gambill’s clutch base hit in the bottom of the eighth capped an incredible comeback win against rival American Fork.
With one out and runners at first and second, Gambill delivered a well-hit ball just inside the foul line to right field, driving in Luke Romney for the game-winner in a stunning 8-7 victory on Wednesday in a 6A baseball tournament elimination game.
“It felt amazing,” said Gambill, who also scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh. “I knew right off the bat we were going to score, especially when it went down the line. Funny story: I was celebrating way too early and my coach is like, ‘Touch first base!’ He’s waving at me and saying, ‘Touch first base!’ I was kind of all over the place.”
It was a game the Knights trailed 6-0 in the fourth inning and 7-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
“This team has a lot of fight,” Gambill said. “We’re never out of a game. We know we can come with anybody. I’m so glad sending them (American Fork) home. They sent my brother home a couple of times so I’m glad I could send them home. It makes it even better.”
American Fork (19-10) batted around in the fourth inning with a two-RBI double by Jack Walker and a two-run homer from Tanner Holden to take a 6-0 lead. Lone Peak got one run back in the bottom of the fourth on a fielder’s choice, which Knights’ coach Jeremy Berg said was a key factor in the comeback.
“It was huge for us getting that one run after they scored six just to answer back a little bit to tell us and to tell them that we were still in the game,” Berg said.
Braden Howard’s RBI single pushed the American Fork lead to 7-1 but Lone Peak put up five runs in the bottom of the sixth, all with two outs. The big blow was a bases-loaded triple by pinch hitter Tate Holmes that scored three runs. An RBI single from Keegan Nitta pulled Lone Peak to within one at 7-6.
Gambill singled to lead off the seventh for Lone Peak and reached second base on a ground ball out. With two outs, Matt Barney hit a hard ground ball toward right field. American Fork second baseman Peyton Wilson made a fine play to keep the ball from reaching the outfield then leapt to his feet to throw home. The ball beat Gambill to the plate but Stockton Brems couldn’t make the catch cleanly, allowing Gambill to score the tying run.
“Sometimes the ball rolls your way and sometimes it doesn’t,” Gambill said. “Today it rolled our way.”
Kenji Hall blasted a two-out triple for American Fork in the top of the eighth but was stranded at third, setting up the Gambill’s heroics in the bottom of the inning.
Lone Peak (16-12) moves on in the elimination bracket to face Fremont. The game was originally scheduled to be played on Wednesday but impending poor weather forced UHSAA officials to move the contest to 10 a.m. on Thursday morning.At noon, Pleasant Grove and Syracuse meet in a championship bracket game, with the loser taking on the winner of the Lone Peak-Fremont game at 3 p.m.
“It’s huge,” Berg said. “At Lone Peak, we usually have a very competitive athletic program. We’re just trying to keep on par. That’s the culture of the entire school. We want to win and we want to battle. We’re never going to be left out, even if we’re down 6-0.”
Texas Wood, who pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth for Lone Peak, earned the win. Gambill finished 3 for 5 with two runs scored and the game-winning RBI. Howard, Wilson and Walker all had two hits for American Fork.
American Fork;000;601;00;–;7;12;0
Lone Peak;000;105;11;–;8;11;0
WP-Wood. LP-Johnson. 2B-Howard (AF), Walker (AF), Gambill (LP), Freeman (LP). 3B-Hull (AF), Holmes (LP). HR-Holden (AF).