Timp Sports Weekly
June 22, 2009
Publisher's Message
The two main subjects for this week's issue are the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings and the American Fork Cavemen. Four stories will look at how both groups fared in summertime baseball last week. The Vikings did well while the Cavemen had dropped into a slump. Let's get to those stories. There is also an essay on how news stories can be completely personal to someone when they involve people he knows.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com
Ferocious PG Vikings' 16-Under Baseball Team Skin Woodscross Wild Kittens 23-0
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In its last away game for the regular season, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings' 16-under team went up to Davis County July 18 and posted a 23-0 win during a Utah Baseball Academy League action on the diamond of the Woodcross Wildcats, AKA the Wild Kittens.
Taking a 9-0 lead into the fourth inning, the Vikings delivered the knockout punch when they went on a 14-run rally, which caused Woodscross to go through three pitchers. During the rally, Riley Erickson and Zach Hicken hit a two-run triple.
When the Wildcats finally took their turn at bat during the bottom of the fourth, they lasted only four batters as reliever Jesse De St. Jour posted three straight strikeouts after walking the first Wildcat pitted against him in the inning.
In the fifth, Woodcross didn't let any Vikings get on base. The bottom of the fifth saw Jake Kocherans single off reliever Drew Velez. Kocherans posted two singles for the day, but his going 2-3 at the plate couldn't bring the Wildcats much consolation.
Pleasant Grove's leadoff batter, Ryland Peterson, scored the morning's first run in the top of the first. The next inning, Broc Starr homered in three runs to spark a six-run rally for the Vikings. They picked up another two runs in the third.
While Peterson and Payton Peters each slugged two singles for the Vikings, Jordan King and Tyler Harmon both contributed a double to the winning case.
Pleasant Grove Coach Bob King said, "We threw three pitchers today. We had Tyler Harmon throw the firs three innings. De St. Jour threw in the fourth, and Velez was our closer. We play Alta at home this Tuesday for our last league game. We will then play in the state tournament."
Ferocious Vikes Belt AF Cavebatters 7-3 in July 13 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In July 13 game for the Utah Baseball Academy League's 17-under division, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings won 7-3 at home over the American Fork Cavemen.
The game opened with Viking right fielder Bo Caldwell picking off a Tyler Flinders fly ball. As second baseman Tyler Whitley and third baseman Broc Starr grounded out Jeremy Reynolds and Jake Blackhurst respectively, Pleasant Grove looked as though it was strongly determined to avenge the recent 4-0 loss that the Cavemen had served to them.
With Caveman right fielder Morgan "Mo" Flinders catching a Caldwell fly ball in the bottom of the first, American Fork proceeded to have the inning end in a scoreless deadlocked. Throws from second baseman Kai Clayton and third baseman Reynolds grounded out Ryland Peterson and Calder Bonnett, delaying the Vikings from scoring first.
On two outs in the top of the second, Caveman Colton "Fig" Whatcott singled off pitcher Mitch Dahl. The Caveman then tried stealing second, but catcher Peterson's throw to Whitley put Whatcott out.
The bottom of the second opened with Broc Starr tripling into center. Steven Rockhill tripled him in, then came home on a passed ball. Despite giving up a one-out double to Dahl, pitcher Taylor Tonks struck Terry Cardon and Drew Velez, keeping the Viking lead stuck at 2-0.
After the third inning had opened with Dahl striking out Kyle Wright and Nick Searle, Mo Flinders got on base through an error, Scotty Andrus, actress Ursula Andrus' "distant cousin," singled Flinders in. Tyler Flinders soon got on base through an error. Whitely kept it from doing any damage, for he grounded out Reynolds, retiring the Cavemen to the field.
For the bottom of the third, Rhett Rickanbach and Caldwell each singled off Tonks. On one out, Bonnett singled both Vikings in. With Starr singling in Bonnett, the Vikings were well on their way to having the game end early. The Cavemen didn't let the Viking rally last long. Mo Flinders picked off a Rockhill fly ball, and Tonks struck out Dahl to end the inning.
At the start of the fourth, Blackhurst singled into center, and a Tonks double moved him to third. Blackhurst came home on a passed ball, and Zach Robinson's sacrifice groundout scored Tonks. Dahl didn't permit any more American Fork runs after the fourth, even though he did give up a seventh-inning single to Tonks.
Hit by Peterson in the bottom of the fifth, a center-field double quickly resulted in Pleasant Grove loading the bases on one out. After reliever Wright had struck out Sefa Tonai, a Dahl walk scored Peterson. The reliever retaliated by striking out Cardon.
On one out in the sixth's lower half, Caldwell singled into left, and a Peterson sacrifice fly scored him for the last Viking run for the night.
American Fork Corey Clayton said, "I thought we hit the ball pretty good. We had a couple of bunts that helped produce runs for us. Our pitchers did pretty good. The difference was that they had hit four more balls into gaps than we did."
Timpanogos T-Pups Hand AF Cavebatters Biting Loss in July 14 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In Scout League action at American Fork July 14, the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA the T-Pups, defeated the American Fork Cavemen 10-4.
Save for the bottom of the first, the T-Pups led the entire game as they pounded out eight hits against American Fork. Colton Edmunds produced the first Timpanogos hit when he singled in Tanner Perkins in the top of the first. On one out, a Hayden Wynn single loaded the bases. Pitcher Danny Bettis picked off Targan Herrod at second, then struck out Joe Didine to prevent a T-Pup rally in the inning.
In the bottom of the first, pitcher Edmunds walked leadoff hitter Kyle Russett. With B.J. Eldredge's single narrowly flying over the Timpanogos second baseman's glove, the Cavemen proceeded to take over the lead. Bettis singled in Russett and Eldredge. Timpanogos got even by turning up a double play. The Cavemen's 2-1 lead couldn't survive the second inning.
On one out in the top of the second, Austin "Bubba" Murray doubled Derrick Lamoreaux and Tanner. After the T-Pups had loaded the bases, Murray came home on a Herrod single.
Edmunds held American Fork scoreless from the second to the fifth. This allowed Timpanogos to build up a wide lead. On two outs in the fourth, a Perkins double moved Greer to third. Soon, Greer and Perkins each came home on a passed ball.
In the fifth's top half, Didine scored on an error, touching off a four-run rally. During it, Greer singled in two runs, and Lamoreaux came home on a passed ball.
American Fork came close to getting a rally going in the bottom of the fifth. As soon as the Cavemen had loaded the bases on one out that inning, a McKay Lewis sacrifice bunt scored Tyson Heaps. The chance for a rally collapsed when Edmunds picked off Bubba Tizinga at third.
Doubling into left in the top of the sixth, Wynn soon scored on an American Fork error at second. In the bottom of the sixth, Blake Brailsford singled in Eldredge, but Edmunds quickly shut the Cavemen down for the night.
Salem Hills Skyhawks Defeat AF Cavebatters 11-4 in July 16 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly
AKA the Sky Tweeties, the Salem Hills Skyhawks defeated the American Fork Cavemen 11-4 in Scout League action in Salem July 16.
American Fork turned out to be its own worst enemy in the game, for in the bottom of the sixth, Caveman Coach Ralph Holding Sr. got into an argument with the plate umpire over the official's calling Nick Obray safe at home. The quarrel soon led to the umpire declaring the game over. Until then, American Fork did have a chance for rallying back into the game.
It opened with B.J. Eldredge singling into right. Blake Brailsford tripled him in, then came home on a Danny Bettis single.
Doubling into left during the bottom of the first, Josh Whitting soon scored on an error. Pitcher Bettis didn't let the Skyhawks make a tying run that inning.
Opening the second inning with a single, Austin Tidwell soon got picked off at second for a third out. The pickoff play enabled the Skyhawks to take over the game in the bottom of the inning. Singling into left, Sweeny soon scored the tying run on a passed ball. A balk called against Bettis permitted C.C. Christensen to come home for a go-ahead run.
The Cavemen regained the lead in the third. After Bubba Tizinga had singled on two outs, Brailsford doubled him in to tie the game at three. Bettis hit a one-run double to put the Cavemen ahead 4-3.
American Fork kept its lead intact until the bottom of the fourth when Ty Houghton's one-run single ignited a four-run rally for the Skyhawks. The rally climaxed with Christensen doubling in two runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kirk Haney scored on an error that sparked the three-run rally for Salem Hills. Had Holding's game-ending argument with the plate umpire not occurred, American Fork might have had a chance for rallying from behind in the seventh. Whether the Cavemen would be able to do that is something that will never be known.
Publisher's Column
News Story Becomes Personal When It Involves Folks Someone Knows
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Before leaving to go cover a July 11 baseball game between the Lone Peak Knights, AKA Loners, and the Riverton Silverwolves, alias Silverpups, I saw in the Salt Lake Tribune a story about now former Lone Peak Seminary Principal Mike Pratt getting arrested for allegedly having an affair with a teenage girl. While I couldn't help but think how tragic it was, I never could imagine how it would impact me a few hours later.
After the Knights had come from behind to beat the Silverpups 11-10, I commenced walking back towards American Fork. Before I entered American Fork's corporate limits, a former Pleasant Grove Viking soccer player picked me up to take me the rest of the way to the UTA bus stop at Smith's.
At first, we shared information on what we were doing nowadays. I did not bring up the matter about the scandal Pratt had become involved in. However, the former Viking soccer player brought the subject up out of the blue. He told me that a younger sister of his was Pratt's alleged mistress. The young man proceeded to tell me of how the scandal finally came to light.
He said that for months his parents had suspected the affair had been going on. However, the girl's mother and father couldn't obtain any proof to confirm their suspicions.
"Yesterday, she finally admitted to us that the affair was going on," the young man told me.
"I am sorry to hear that," I said. "When this thing gets over, your sister is going to be needing a lot of counseling."
"True. This whole sorry deal is affecting, not only our family, but also Brother Pratt's. His wife and kids are going to catch a lot of heat, because of this. I feel sorry for the Pratts. I would hate to see Brother Pratt going to jail over this, but his fate is not for me to determine.
"There have already been lots of things said on the Internet about this. Bloggers are either coming down on the side of Brother Pratt or my sister. I do wish total strangers would keep their noses out of this. It's none of their business."
I quietly agreed with the young man that no total strangers should make any comments about it. I am still not going to come down either on the side of the girl or the ex-seminary principal. All I am going to say about it is that it has left two families affected permanently, and it has made clear to me that a news story involving personal acquaintances of mine is completely different than from one about folks who are complete strangers to me.
June 22, 2009
Publisher's Message
The two main subjects for this week's issue are the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings and the American Fork Cavemen. Four stories will look at how both groups fared in summertime baseball last week. The Vikings did well while the Cavemen had dropped into a slump. Let's get to those stories. There is also an essay on how news stories can be completely personal to someone when they involve people he knows.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com
Ferocious PG Vikings' 16-Under Baseball Team Skin Woodscross Wild Kittens 23-0
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In its last away game for the regular season, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings' 16-under team went up to Davis County July 18 and posted a 23-0 win during a Utah Baseball Academy League action on the diamond of the Woodcross Wildcats, AKA the Wild Kittens.
Taking a 9-0 lead into the fourth inning, the Vikings delivered the knockout punch when they went on a 14-run rally, which caused Woodscross to go through three pitchers. During the rally, Riley Erickson and Zach Hicken hit a two-run triple.
When the Wildcats finally took their turn at bat during the bottom of the fourth, they lasted only four batters as reliever Jesse De St. Jour posted three straight strikeouts after walking the first Wildcat pitted against him in the inning.
In the fifth, Woodcross didn't let any Vikings get on base. The bottom of the fifth saw Jake Kocherans single off reliever Drew Velez. Kocherans posted two singles for the day, but his going 2-3 at the plate couldn't bring the Wildcats much consolation.
Pleasant Grove's leadoff batter, Ryland Peterson, scored the morning's first run in the top of the first. The next inning, Broc Starr homered in three runs to spark a six-run rally for the Vikings. They picked up another two runs in the third.
While Peterson and Payton Peters each slugged two singles for the Vikings, Jordan King and Tyler Harmon both contributed a double to the winning case.
Pleasant Grove Coach Bob King said, "We threw three pitchers today. We had Tyler Harmon throw the firs three innings. De St. Jour threw in the fourth, and Velez was our closer. We play Alta at home this Tuesday for our last league game. We will then play in the state tournament."
Ferocious Vikes Belt AF Cavebatters 7-3 in July 13 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In July 13 game for the Utah Baseball Academy League's 17-under division, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings won 7-3 at home over the American Fork Cavemen.
The game opened with Viking right fielder Bo Caldwell picking off a Tyler Flinders fly ball. As second baseman Tyler Whitley and third baseman Broc Starr grounded out Jeremy Reynolds and Jake Blackhurst respectively, Pleasant Grove looked as though it was strongly determined to avenge the recent 4-0 loss that the Cavemen had served to them.
With Caveman right fielder Morgan "Mo" Flinders catching a Caldwell fly ball in the bottom of the first, American Fork proceeded to have the inning end in a scoreless deadlocked. Throws from second baseman Kai Clayton and third baseman Reynolds grounded out Ryland Peterson and Calder Bonnett, delaying the Vikings from scoring first.
On two outs in the top of the second, Caveman Colton "Fig" Whatcott singled off pitcher Mitch Dahl. The Caveman then tried stealing second, but catcher Peterson's throw to Whitley put Whatcott out.
The bottom of the second opened with Broc Starr tripling into center. Steven Rockhill tripled him in, then came home on a passed ball. Despite giving up a one-out double to Dahl, pitcher Taylor Tonks struck Terry Cardon and Drew Velez, keeping the Viking lead stuck at 2-0.
After the third inning had opened with Dahl striking out Kyle Wright and Nick Searle, Mo Flinders got on base through an error, Scotty Andrus, actress Ursula Andrus' "distant cousin," singled Flinders in. Tyler Flinders soon got on base through an error. Whitely kept it from doing any damage, for he grounded out Reynolds, retiring the Cavemen to the field.
For the bottom of the third, Rhett Rickanbach and Caldwell each singled off Tonks. On one out, Bonnett singled both Vikings in. With Starr singling in Bonnett, the Vikings were well on their way to having the game end early. The Cavemen didn't let the Viking rally last long. Mo Flinders picked off a Rockhill fly ball, and Tonks struck out Dahl to end the inning.
At the start of the fourth, Blackhurst singled into center, and a Tonks double moved him to third. Blackhurst came home on a passed ball, and Zach Robinson's sacrifice groundout scored Tonks. Dahl didn't permit any more American Fork runs after the fourth, even though he did give up a seventh-inning single to Tonks.
Hit by Peterson in the bottom of the fifth, a center-field double quickly resulted in Pleasant Grove loading the bases on one out. After reliever Wright had struck out Sefa Tonai, a Dahl walk scored Peterson. The reliever retaliated by striking out Cardon.
On one out in the sixth's lower half, Caldwell singled into left, and a Peterson sacrifice fly scored him for the last Viking run for the night.
American Fork Corey Clayton said, "I thought we hit the ball pretty good. We had a couple of bunts that helped produce runs for us. Our pitchers did pretty good. The difference was that they had hit four more balls into gaps than we did."
Timpanogos T-Pups Hand AF Cavebatters Biting Loss in July 14 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In Scout League action at American Fork July 14, the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA the T-Pups, defeated the American Fork Cavemen 10-4.
Save for the bottom of the first, the T-Pups led the entire game as they pounded out eight hits against American Fork. Colton Edmunds produced the first Timpanogos hit when he singled in Tanner Perkins in the top of the first. On one out, a Hayden Wynn single loaded the bases. Pitcher Danny Bettis picked off Targan Herrod at second, then struck out Joe Didine to prevent a T-Pup rally in the inning.
In the bottom of the first, pitcher Edmunds walked leadoff hitter Kyle Russett. With B.J. Eldredge's single narrowly flying over the Timpanogos second baseman's glove, the Cavemen proceeded to take over the lead. Bettis singled in Russett and Eldredge. Timpanogos got even by turning up a double play. The Cavemen's 2-1 lead couldn't survive the second inning.
On one out in the top of the second, Austin "Bubba" Murray doubled Derrick Lamoreaux and Tanner. After the T-Pups had loaded the bases, Murray came home on a Herrod single.
Edmunds held American Fork scoreless from the second to the fifth. This allowed Timpanogos to build up a wide lead. On two outs in the fourth, a Perkins double moved Greer to third. Soon, Greer and Perkins each came home on a passed ball.
In the fifth's top half, Didine scored on an error, touching off a four-run rally. During it, Greer singled in two runs, and Lamoreaux came home on a passed ball.
American Fork came close to getting a rally going in the bottom of the fifth. As soon as the Cavemen had loaded the bases on one out that inning, a McKay Lewis sacrifice bunt scored Tyson Heaps. The chance for a rally collapsed when Edmunds picked off Bubba Tizinga at third.
Doubling into left in the top of the sixth, Wynn soon scored on an American Fork error at second. In the bottom of the sixth, Blake Brailsford singled in Eldredge, but Edmunds quickly shut the Cavemen down for the night.
Salem Hills Skyhawks Defeat AF Cavebatters 11-4 in July 16 Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly
AKA the Sky Tweeties, the Salem Hills Skyhawks defeated the American Fork Cavemen 11-4 in Scout League action in Salem July 16.
American Fork turned out to be its own worst enemy in the game, for in the bottom of the sixth, Caveman Coach Ralph Holding Sr. got into an argument with the plate umpire over the official's calling Nick Obray safe at home. The quarrel soon led to the umpire declaring the game over. Until then, American Fork did have a chance for rallying back into the game.
It opened with B.J. Eldredge singling into right. Blake Brailsford tripled him in, then came home on a Danny Bettis single.
Doubling into left during the bottom of the first, Josh Whitting soon scored on an error. Pitcher Bettis didn't let the Skyhawks make a tying run that inning.
Opening the second inning with a single, Austin Tidwell soon got picked off at second for a third out. The pickoff play enabled the Skyhawks to take over the game in the bottom of the inning. Singling into left, Sweeny soon scored the tying run on a passed ball. A balk called against Bettis permitted C.C. Christensen to come home for a go-ahead run.
The Cavemen regained the lead in the third. After Bubba Tizinga had singled on two outs, Brailsford doubled him in to tie the game at three. Bettis hit a one-run double to put the Cavemen ahead 4-3.
American Fork kept its lead intact until the bottom of the fourth when Ty Houghton's one-run single ignited a four-run rally for the Skyhawks. The rally climaxed with Christensen doubling in two runs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Kirk Haney scored on an error that sparked the three-run rally for Salem Hills. Had Holding's game-ending argument with the plate umpire not occurred, American Fork might have had a chance for rallying from behind in the seventh. Whether the Cavemen would be able to do that is something that will never be known.
Publisher's Column
News Story Becomes Personal When It Involves Folks Someone Knows
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
Before leaving to go cover a July 11 baseball game between the Lone Peak Knights, AKA Loners, and the Riverton Silverwolves, alias Silverpups, I saw in the Salt Lake Tribune a story about now former Lone Peak Seminary Principal Mike Pratt getting arrested for allegedly having an affair with a teenage girl. While I couldn't help but think how tragic it was, I never could imagine how it would impact me a few hours later.
After the Knights had come from behind to beat the Silverpups 11-10, I commenced walking back towards American Fork. Before I entered American Fork's corporate limits, a former Pleasant Grove Viking soccer player picked me up to take me the rest of the way to the UTA bus stop at Smith's.
At first, we shared information on what we were doing nowadays. I did not bring up the matter about the scandal Pratt had become involved in. However, the former Viking soccer player brought the subject up out of the blue. He told me that a younger sister of his was Pratt's alleged mistress. The young man proceeded to tell me of how the scandal finally came to light.
He said that for months his parents had suspected the affair had been going on. However, the girl's mother and father couldn't obtain any proof to confirm their suspicions.
"Yesterday, she finally admitted to us that the affair was going on," the young man told me.
"I am sorry to hear that," I said. "When this thing gets over, your sister is going to be needing a lot of counseling."
"True. This whole sorry deal is affecting, not only our family, but also Brother Pratt's. His wife and kids are going to catch a lot of heat, because of this. I feel sorry for the Pratts. I would hate to see Brother Pratt going to jail over this, but his fate is not for me to determine.
"There have already been lots of things said on the Internet about this. Bloggers are either coming down on the side of Brother Pratt or my sister. I do wish total strangers would keep their noses out of this. It's none of their business."
I quietly agreed with the young man that no total strangers should make any comments about it. I am still not going to come down either on the side of the girl or the ex-seminary principal. All I am going to say about it is that it has left two families affected permanently, and it has made clear to me that a news story involving personal acquaintances of mine is completely different than from one about folks who are complete strangers to me.
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