Wasatch-Lehi Baseball Doubleheaders

Timp Sports Weekly
July 28, 2010

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we look at the Lehi Pioneers splitting a Varsity League doubleheader with the Wasatch Wasps and the Awesome American Fork Cavemen's trip to the 16-under and 17-under divisions of the Utah Baseball Academy League's post-season tournament. As they say in Lehi, let's hop right to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com

Lehi Splits Varsity League Doubleheader With Wasatch Bugs
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Varsity League doubleheader at Lehi July 20, the Lehi Pioneers won 13-3 and 11-5 over the Wasatch Wasps, AKA the Bugs.

The doubleheader was a showdown between two coaches who used to be Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings: Wasatch's Mike Shoell and Lehi's Matt Bezzant. Shoell had worked as an assistant coach at Pleasant Grove before going to be head coach for the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Lone Peak Knights, AKA the Loners. Bezzant played baseball for the Ferocious Vikings and eventually worked his way into an assistant coach for the Pioneers' spring season varsity team.

In the top of the first in the opening game, Austin "The Gallows" Hallows smacked a two-out single that drove in fellow Bugs Kade Richins and Quade Larson to create a 2-0 lead. Before the Bugs could stretch further in the first, Trey Ogilvie struck out.

Singles from Tyson Webster and Palmer Page paved the way for the Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, to stage of scoring rally of their own in the bottom of the first. Cody Hickman singled in two runs, and McKay Briggs singled in Bronson Anderson to send Lehi stroking ahead 3-2.

During the next three innings, former Alta Tweetie basketball star Ali Bills' nephew Taylor Bills and Richins each hit a double for the Bugs. Wasatch also go singles from Nate Vought and Bryce Bonner. However, the Pioneers held the Wasps scoreless until the top of the fifth.

Each hitting a single in the bottom of the second, Kaden Longman and Andy Paul both raced home while Wasatch was busy pinching Trevor Jeppson in fielder's choice at second.

Hitting a one-out single in the top of the fifth, Vought stole home. Lehi didn't let the Bugs profit from that steal, though. In the bottom of the fifth, Hunter Houghton hit a two-run double which launched a seven-run rally for the Pioneers. With Lehi keeping the Bugs from capitalizing on sixth-inning singles hit by Parker Baumgartner and Richins, the Pioneers finished Wasatch off with a Tanner Beeson single that reeled Briggs in for the winning run.

Neither team could score during the first three innings of the second game, even thought Lehi did get singles from Taylor Webster, Briggs, and Beeson during those rounds. Bills slugged a third-inning single for the first Wasatch of the game.

In the top of the fourth, Richins singled in Spencer Moulton and Baumgartner to put the Bugs on the board first. Hit by a pitch in the bottom of fourth, Anderson came home on a Beeson single.

In the sixth, Quade Larson singled in Baumgartner, and Ogilvie's two-run triple sent the Bugs buzzing ahead 5-1. Tripling in the bottom of the sixth, Palmer Page got reeled in by Anderson's two-run homer that sparked an eight-run rally for the Froggies. Longman hit a three-run double to clutch the game, and Page doubled him in to end the game's scoring. Lehi didn't let any Bugs get on base in the top of the seventh.

Pioneer Coach Matt Bezzant said, "We weren't scared of Wasatch. We hit their strikes, and we didn't let Tyson Kohler's fastballs intimidate us any in the first game. Quade Larson was able to do good against us in the second game until the sixth when we started hitting balls into a lot of holes."

The sweep of the doubleheader avenged the Pioneers' losing to Wasatch in last year's Varsity League championship game.

Awesome AF Cavemen Squeeze Past Jordan Plowboys 9-7 in First Round of UBAL 16-Under Playoffs

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In the state Utah Baseball Academy League tournament for the 16-under division, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen squeezed out a 9-7 win over the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowboys, in a first-round game at Alta High July 20.

The game was supposed to have been played at Jordan, but the presence of unattended, construction vehicles in center field made playing there a legal liability. Kent Norton, the UBAL boss, had the first-round showdown switched to Alta, where the Plowboys and Awesome  Cavemen watched the Cottonwood Colts, AKA the Ponies, defeat the Hawks, AKA the Tweeties, 3-2 for the 15-under state pennant.

When the Jordan-American Fork game got underway, Awesome Caveman Jeremy Reynolds got hit by a hitch during two outs. Before the Cavemen could get anywhere with that break, Zach Reynolds flew out to center fielder Al Fife, a distant "cousin" of  TV's Deputy Barney Fife.

On two outs in the bottom of the first, Tweetie Tyler Swan got on base through an error, and he stole his way around to third. Though pitcher Ben Beddes walked Tanner "Iron" Barr, the pitcher picked off the Hawk at first base to end the inning in a scoreless deadlock.

On one out in the top of the second, American Fork's Kai Clayton singled in Tyson Heaps to open the afternoon's scoring. Clayton got stranded on second, though, as he watched B.J. Eldridge and Kyle Rusik ground out to shortstop Mark James and third base Tommy "Gun" Vitti respectively.

In the bottom of the second, Tanner McCarthy hit a one-out single off Beddes, only to become ensnared in a double play that helped to keep the Plowboys scoreless during the first three innings.

During the top of the third, Vitti tagged Austin Tidwell in hopes of keeping the Awesome Caveman lead stuck at 1-0. However, Zach Haws singled off pitcher Swan and went on to score on a Reynolds single. After Willis flew out to first baseman Marques Guiterrez, catcher Barr connected a throw to Vitti to put Reynolds out out.

Hitting a fourth-inning, right-field double on one out, Heaps  soon scored on Eldridge's two-out single. Even though the Awesome Cavemen pinched Swan in a fielder's choice play in the bottom of the fourth, they still could not keep Jordan from chipping away at their lead. Stealing second, Barr distracted Cavemen infielders long enough for Fife to score a run. Beddes answered it by striking out Vinnie Mallard and Tanner McCarthy, an extremely distant "cousin" of actress Jenny McCarthy.

American Fork loaded the  bases on no outs in the fifth's top half. Willis hit three-run double, then came home on a Heaps sacrifice fly in right field. The Awesome Cavemen held the Pl0wboys scoreless in the bottom of the fifth. American Fork then sought to finish Jordan off in the sixth. Even though Swan gave up a single to Rusik that inning, the pitcher still held the Cavemen scoreless that inning through striking out Blake Brailsford and Sean Hardman and causing Tidwell to fly out to left fielder James.

In the bottom of the sixth, a Jake Raddon single and a Fife double resulted in the Plowboys loading the bases on one out. Mallard hit a three-run double that sparked a rally for Jordan. McCarthy doubled in Mallard on two outs, but Chandler Smith flew out to left, shutting down the rally.

For the seventh, Morgan "Mo" Flinders hit a right-field single, and he raced home on a Reynolds sacrifice fly. Having gotten on base through a walk, Haws came home on a Beddes single that ended American Fork scoring for the night. In the bottom of the seventh, a James single and a Guiterrez double led to the Plowboys loading the bases on two outs. Vitti hit a two-run double, and Jordan soon loaded the bases again on a Fife walk. However, Swan struck out, ending the game.

American Fork Coach Jarod "The Prankster" Ingersoll said, "Beddes kept his pitches passing through the strike zone, forcing Jordan to keep hitting the ball to us. We were lucky to get the hits that we did at the end of the game, because of how quickly Jordan was coming back."

Awesome AF Cavebatters Survive 8-Inning Playoff Game at Alta July 20

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Utah Baseball Academy League action at Alta July 21, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen's 16-under team won 5-4 in an eight-inning, second-round state playoff game over the Alta Hawks, AKA the Tweeties.

The game opened with American Fork's Morgan "Mo" Flinders singling into left. He soon got put out by a throw from catcher Mason "Hey Z" Winter to second baseman Kale Tilly. Neither team could score during the first three innings as the game turned into a pitching duel between American Fork's Blake Brailsford and Alta's Briton "The Pen" Wren, despite a two-out single that Marty Cavenass hit in the bottom of the third. In the top of the fourth, though, Flinders hit a two-out, one-run single, and he then  came home on a Dan Beddes double.

American's 2-0 couldn't survive the bottom of the fourth. A Brayden Goddard single spurred the Tweeties into loading the bases on one out. A Mark Kunz walk brought Wren home, starting a three-run rally for the Tweeties.

The Cavemen couldn't regain the lead until the top of the sixth. That inning, Jake Miles singled in a run, and he came home on a Beddes sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the seventh, Cavenass singled in a run to force the game into an eighth inning.

When an error had let Willis get on base during one out, Tyson Heaps hit a two-out, one-run to put the Cavemen ahead 5-4. Taking over the mound in the bottom of the eight, reliever Jeremy Reynolds struck out three straight Tweeties to end the game.

American Fork Coach Jarod "The Prankster" Ingersoll said, "Tonight showed what our guys are capable of doing at state during the regular season. They held up well under the pressure of the eighth-inning."

Awesome AF Cavemen Take Down Salt Lake County Marshalls in UBAL Quarterfinals

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

When the Salt Lake County Marshalls last came to American Fork to play the Awesome American Fork Cavemen's 16-under team in a Utah Baseball Academy League game, they had one great inning that allowed them to trample the home team. However, in July 22 quarterfinal action at American Fork, the Awesome Cavemen obliterated the Marshalls 12-2 in a six-inning contest.

American Fork Coach Jay Holmstead said, "Tonight showed our guys that they can learn from their mistakes and beat an all-star team like the Marshalls. Our guys did exactly what we told them to do against the Marshalls. They made a play and studied the field for where they could it into holes. For anyone to be successful the Marshalls, they have to play really smart. The Marshalls are a hand-selected team of really good players from this area. Our guys didn't let the memory of the last game faze them any. They learned from their mistakes in it and performed very well.

American Fork pitcher St. Alex Shultz held the Marshalls scoreless during the first four innings. However, Shultz's pitching didn't stop the Marshalls from scaring American Fork with big hits. For instance, Mark "Mr. Christmas" Kruger, the brother of Mason "Don't Call Me Freddie" Kruger hit a second-inning double and a fourth-inning single off Shultz. Fellow Marshall Quin "Beetle" Bailey doubled off Shultz in the third. However, the American Fork pitcher didn't let the Marshalls go anywhere with those hits as he posted three strikeouts during his time on the mound.

Hitting a one-out single into left field during the bottom of the first, Zach Haws got singled in by Danny Beddes during two outs. The next inning, Shultz doubled in Tyson Heaps to spark a three-run rally for the Awesome Cavemen. During the rally, Morgan "Mo" Flinders doubled in Shultz and came home on a Zach Haws single.

The Marshalls held the Cavemen scoreless during the third and fourth innings. In top of the fifth, Bailey singled in Brook "Rockwell" Porter, and Colt ".44" Shauver singled a shot that drove in a run. American Fork shut down the Marshalls' comeback try.

During one out in the bottom of the fifth, Haws came home on a wild pitch to start a seven-run rally. During it, Shultz pumped the Cavemen up with a two-run single. During the next inning's lower half, the Awesome Cavemen loaded the bass on no outs. Walks by Tyson Heap and Sean Hardman reeled in two runs, ending the game. American Fork went on to win 6-4 in a semifinal game at Bingham July 23.

Awesome Cavemen 17-Under Team Win 21-8 Over Layton Lancers in First-Round UBAL Action

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a first-round state tournament game of the Utah Baseball Academy's 17-under division, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen won 21-8 at home against the Layton Lancers, AKA the Stickers, July 23.

During the first inning's top half, pitcher Danny Beddes walked leadoff hitter Swift Paiz. However, the Cavemen pinched in a fielder's choice play in between third and home. Great defensive plays like that one made it impossible for either team to score during the first two innings.

Finally, in the top of the third, Paiz stole home, and teammate Garrett "Boss" Moss hit a one-run single to improve the Lancer lead at 2-0. The Stickers fell to pieces, though, when Nick Searle scored on an error that started a 12-run rally. During it, Searle whacked a two-run single while Zach Haws, Morgan "Mo" Flinders, Ty Flinders, and Cousin Ryan Draper each singled in a run.

In the top of the fourth, Quinn Robison doubled into left, and Paiz tripled him in, only to become stuck on base. During the bottom of the fourth, American Fork's Zach "Robbie" Robison singled into center, and Danny Beddes doubled him in to start a nine-run rally. It climaxed with Robison doubling in two runs and coming home on a Beddes single.

Through singles from Woofie Cunningham and Val Valerio, the Lancers loaded the bases on no outs. A Ham "Some" Flores walks scored Cunningham, setting off a five-run rally that caused Draper to be replaced by Sean Hardman on the mound. During the rally, Jack "Bull" Trujillo singled two runs and Quinn Robison hit a one-run single.  Hardman shut the rally down, earning the Cavemen a third shot at Spanish Fork this summer.

On two previous this summer season, the Awesome Cavemen defeated the Dons. However, during second-round action at Spanish Fork on Pioneer Day morning, Spanish Fork defeated the Cavemen 5-3. The Dons took a 3-0 lead during the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, though, American Fork tied the score at three on runs by Ty Flinders, Jake Miles, and Zach Robinson. However, the Dons ended up feeling gay as they scored a run in the fifth and another one in the sixth to win the game.

Besides hitting two singles for American Fork in the Spanish Fork game, Jeremy Reynolds pitched for three innings. St. Alex Shultz and Jake Miles each pitched an inning for American Fork, and Nate Andrus, a distant "cousin" of Hollywood actress Ursula Andrus, pitched two innings for the Cavemen.

AF Cavebatters Lose 16-Under Division State Title Game to Spanish Fork July 26

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

Played at Spanish Fork July 26, the Utah Baseball Academy League's 16-under division title game turned out to be a shocking ending for the Awesome American Fork Cavemen. The Spanish Fork Dons needed only one inning to defeat them 4-3 for the state title.

The game opened on a promising note for the Cavemen. On one out in the top of the first, Jeremy Reynolds doubled in Zach Haws and Jake Miles, who had both singled off pitcher Tyler Allred. Reynolds then came home on a wild pitch.

During the game's first three innings, pitcher Danny Beddes kept the Dons in check, even though Don Casey Reynolds singled off him in the bottom of the inning.

After having a great first inning, the Cavemen ran into huge trouble. For example, in the second, as soon as a Haws single had moved Morgan "Mo" Flinders into scoring position, Miles struck out. In the third inning, third baseman Rusty Gordon turned up a double play that retired the Cavemen to the field.

After Spanish Fork had prevented American Fork from capitalizing on a Kyle Rusik single in the top of the fourth, the Dons delivered the Awesome Cavemen a vicious blow in the inning's lower half. It opened with Tyler Allred doubling off Beddes. Colt Olsen singled in Allred to spark a four-run rally, fueled by two walks and a sacrifice fly. 

When an American Fork double play shut down the rally, the Cavemen tried overcoming the one-run deficit. Spanish Fork reliever Zach Thurston made it too wide for them to overcome. Through his pitching, he didn't give up any hits during the game's final three innings. To their credit, the Cavemen didn't let the Dons go on any more scoring rallies, in spite of a Collin Argyle single in the sixth. Nevertheless, the fourth inning's outcome still allowed the Dons to win the state pennant.