Lehi Froggie Soccer and Baseball

Timp Sports Weekly

March 25, 2014

Publisher's Message

I had originally intended to have this issue focus on soccer and baseball games that the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings played last week. However, after I had covered the Region Four opener between the Ferocious Vikings and the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, I had learned that first-year Froggie baseball coach Jason Ingersoll had scheduled a home-and-home series against the Hillcrest Huskies, AKA the Puppies. I missed the Froggies' 10-9 win over the Puppies at Lehi. However, when I learn via the D-News' website that Lehi would be playing at Hillcrest on March 22, I decided to cover that non-league game rather than travel down to Pleasant Grove to cover the Ferocious Vikings' baseball doubleheader against the Jordan Beetdiggers, AKA the Plowboys. 

The decision turned out to be a wise one, for the Plowboys clobbered the Ferocious Vikings in both ends of the twin bill. So no way would Ferocious Viking Coach Darin "That's Bush League" Henry have wanted to talk with me right after the doubleheaders. Jason Ingersoll was more than eager to talk with me right after his Froggies had leaped past the Puppies 9-3.

We will look first at the Froggie-Ferocious Viking soccer game. We will then go over how Jason's web-footed fixed the Puppies in their March 22 non-league contest. As they say in Pleasant Grove, let's sail straight to those stories.

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Lehi Froggies Outlast Ferocious PG Vike Kickers 2-1 in Region 4 Boys' Soccer Opener

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

AKA the Froggies, the Lehi Pioneers began their Region Four boys' soccer schedule with a 2-1 win at home against the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings at home March 18.

The game started on a riveting -- correction, ribbiting note, and the it stayed tight through the rest of the evening. During the first minute of play, Froggie Connor "I Can See For" Miles scored the game's first goal. As Miles' successful shot zoomed into the goal net, it erased Ferocious Viking goalie Shadow Bishop's golden luck of not having been scored on during this season. Going into the region opener, Pleasant Grove had built up a preseason record of two wins and two ties. However, that record was not going to be of much good to Bishop now, especially when Miles' goal created the impression that the Froggies would hop all over Pleasant Grove. The expectation quickly turned out to be false.

Five minutes later, Ferocious Viking Matt "Stiffie" Smyth evened the game at one. Smyth's goal sent PG's morale soaring high like a plume of smoke. Ferocious Viking midfielder Omar "Kayam" Ortiz, for example, guided deep penetrations of the Froggie center, putting much pressure on Froggie goalie Tanner "Muncie" Munson. Good old Muncie Munson didn't let Ortiz or Smyth boot any more shots past him, even though Pleasant Grove continued receiving great shot selections throughout the course of the night. Also, Bishop played very well like one-time Pleasant Grove goalie Brock DeGraff did several years ago.

Ferocious Viking offensive wing Nate Spencer often received chances for scoring on indirect kicks. However, none of his indirect kicks could get past Munson. Even though Spencer terrorized Lehi, especially in the second half. Spencer's aggressiveness almost sent the game into overtime. However, Froggies like Dallas Mosher, Kris Taylor, and Chris "C-Rod" Rodriguez prevented Spencer from doing severe damage to Lehi.

Meanwhile, the game stayed tied until the final two minutes of the first half. In having failed to have corner kicks of his produce goals for Lehi, Froggie Jake Clements booted in a tie-breaking goal just before halftime. After that successful shot, the game grounded down to a nail-biting defensive duel for the rest for the night. 

Lehi Coach Jerry Preisendorf said, "We were sloppy in the middle. That was why PG had possession of the ball most of the time. It's a good thing that Tanner had a great night as a goalie."

Lehi Froggies Fix Hillcrest Puppies Both Times in 2-Game Baseball Series
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, swept a two-game series against the Hillcrest Huskies, AKA the Puppies, and posted a 6-5 win on the Cyprus Pirates' Magna field last week to post a 5-3 preseason record in baseball.

The Froggies' three triumphs last week improved their winning streak at five straight games. In a March  18 game at Lehi, the Froggies outlasted the Puppies 11-10. A sixth-inning one-run triple by Morgan Soper gave the Froggies their one-run win over the Puppies.

In the March 20 exhibition game in Magna, neither team could score in the first four innings. In the top of the fifth, the Froggies scored all of their six runs for the night. Blake Smith's two-run double ultimately awarded the win.

The next morning, neither the Froggies nor the Puppies could make any hits until midway through their rematch in Midvale. That fact couldn't stop Lehi from building up a 3-0 lead during the game's first three innings.

In the top of the first, for example, Puppy pitcher Andy "Barky" Reich walked Soper and Paxton Terry. A grandson of Payson Kitty football legend Chad Smith,  Soper scored the game's first run on an error at second. With two outs, Terry scored on another Puppy error. In retaliation, Reich struck out Colt "Forty-Five" Sampson.

Even though Hillcrest's Landin "Woof-Woof" Shiller got on base through an error, pitcher Blake Smith struck out Reich and Dakota "Prairie Doggie" Parker to keep the Froggies' 2-0 lead intact at the end of the first inning.

The Puppies didn't let the Froggies put any runners on base during the top of the second. However, Smith continued holding the Puppies scoreless through posting three strikeouts, even though he beaned Jake "K-9" Harris and walked Chris "White Fang" Okomoto.

Getting on base during two third-inning outs, Froggie Ryan Absher went on to steal home. Lehi's 3-0 lead became threatened in the bottom of the third when the Puppies loaded the bases on no outs. Suddenly, Reich got called out for interference at home plate. Catcher Terry turned up a double play to end the inning with Lehi still ahead 3-0.

Sampson got on base through an error during one out in the fourth's top half. Sampson went on to steal home. After catcher Okomoto had tagged Ryan Barnes at the plate, Froggie Cam Grace hit a single for the game's first hitting, scoring Preston Higgins.

In the top of the fifth, Absher singled into left, and Terry doubled him in. Blake Smith singled in Terry, and then came home on Coy Smith's sacrifice groundout.

The fifth's lower half opened with Tony "Mondy Moon Doggie" Mondragon doubling into left for the Puppies' first hit of the morning. Mondragon went on to steal home plate. Teammate Skylar "Dog Star" Oaks hit a one-run single to cut the lead to 8-2.

Absher hit a one-out, right-field single in the top of the sixth. Before Lehi could go on a one-out rally, Terry into a double play that prevented Lehi from picking up any insurance runs. In the bottom of sixth, the Puppies again loaded the bases on no outs. Barnes replaced Blake Smith at the mound and turned up a double play. Right after it, Barky Reich singled into left. Parker batted in a run, then got stuck on base.

In the top of the seventh, Blake Smith tripled into center, and he then scored on a Sampson sacrifice groundout. Reich held the Froggies scoreless after that point. During the bottom of the seventh, Ryan "The Green Beagle" Weadle hit a two-out single into left, but Barnes struck out Reese "Laika" Logan to clutch the win for the Froogies.

Lehi Coach Jason Ingersoll said, "Their pitcher [Reich] threw in top form. It took us four innings to get the feel of him before we started making hits. The kids slugged the ball very well, and they recovered some great groundballs. We also came up with a couple of double plays that proved quite critical to us."

This week, Lehi is scheduled to open Region Four play against the Riverton Silverwolves, AKA the Silverpups.