Armed with bats and gloves and equipped with shiny cleats, a local youth baseball team known as the Four Corners Dingers traveled to Heber City, Utah, and performed well in the Heber Valley Pioneer Tournament July 19 and 20.
Several players from Cortez and Dove Creek joined players from Blanding, Utah, on the 8-and-under team, which was coached by M-CHS graduate Cory Schmitt, Jimmy Johnson and Josh Gritz.
The Dingers played four games over the course of the two-day tournament, which included a 17-2 victory over the Utah Defenders and a 5-3 victory over the Herriman Allstars. The Dingers lost the tournament’s championship game to the Utah Canons by a score of 13-9.
Top performers for the Dingers during the two-day tournament included Bryson Schmitt, who notched seven hits, Kycen Gritz, who came through with six hits, and Brennan Powell, who slugged five hits.
Gritz set the tone for the Dingers on the mound by pitching six total innings and allowing just four earned runs. The young hurler also showcased an impressive fastball while striking out 12 total batters.
With a few months of summer still ahead, the Dingers will continue to hone their skills on the practice diamond before returning to action at the Boys of Summer Tournament in Lehi, Utah, Aug. 2 and 3.