First Week of the Utah Baseball Academy League's 2014 Season

Timp Sports Weekly

June 24, 2014

Publisher's Message

For this week's issue, we focus mainly on the opening week of the Utah Baseball Academy League's 2014 summer season. We will also look at a Prep League game that Lehi hosted. We were going to do reports about recent Colt League games and and the American Fork Pony League championship showdown between the Pirates and White Sox. However, the Colt League games that were to be covered turned out to be forfeited. As for the Pony League championship game, not a single White Sox team member bothered to show up for it. Maybe the 2015 AFPL title game will be played. How I hate forfeits. Anyhow, let's get to the stories of the games that this magazine was able to catch this past .

Dean Von Memmott

Publisher

magnanovelist@gmail.com

Bingham Pickers Defeat Awesome AF Cavemen 9-3 in UBAL Season Opener June 16

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

AKA the Pickers, the Bingham Miners, coached by former American Fork baseball skipper Brandon "Slim" Devereaux, defeated the Awesome American Fork Cavemen 9-3 in a Utah Baseball Academy League game at American Fork June 16.

The game opened with Picker Landon "Shaggy" Waldeck doubling off pitcher Colt "45" Schear. The Pickers soon loaded the bases, and Connor "Molotov Cocktail" Goff doubled in two runs that set off a four-run rally for the Pickers. During the rally, Collin "Gordy" Gordon and Wild Willie Anderson each singled in a run.

American Fork didn't let the Pickers make any more runs until the top of the sixth. Bingham did get a a single from Ty Zupon in the second, one from Tanner Burr, a "distant cousin" of the late TV actor Raymond Burr, in the third, and one from Anderson in the fourth. Meanwhile, in the bottom of the second, Jade Fox, a "distant cousin" of Hollywood actress Megan Fox, singled in Scharer and Colton "Roonie" Shelton to cut the lead to 4-2. Bingham retaliated with a double play. The Pickers turned up another double play in the fourth.

The Pickers held the Awesome Cavemen at bay through the next three innings. In the top of the sixth, Bridger Jensen singled into left, and he soon stole home, setting off a three-run rally for Bingham. In the bottom of the sixth, Schear hit a solo homer over the left-field fence, and his teammate Ryan "Rhino" Thompson singled into right, only to become stuck on base.

During the top of the seventh, Gordon hit a two-run single to concluded the game's scoring. Bingham didn't let any Awesome Cavemen get on base during the bottom of the seventh.

Lehi Froggies Defeat Westlake Shockers 16-6 in Prep League Action June 18 Play

By Dean Von Memmott

Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a Prep League game played at Lehi June 18, the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, defeated the Westlake Thunder, AKA the Shockers, 16-6. 

The game was close for the first 5 1/2 innings. The contest unfolded with Shocker Sam Taylor flying out into center field. After the Froggies had prevented the next two Westlake batters from getting on base, they took control of the game. With an A.J. Johnson double moving Koy Smith to third, Devin Smith hit a one-run single. Johnson then scored on an error.

In the top of the second, Colt Vincent singled on one out into left, and he got pinched in a fielder's choice play. Pitcher Kaden Higgins struck out Devin Atwood, and the Shockers did not get another chance for hits until the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the third, Johnson singled into right, and a Kelt Higgins doubled moved him to third. Johnson scored on a Devin Smith sacrifice fly.

In the top of the fourth, one-run singles hit by Bryson "The Bison" Horman and Atwood shortened the lead to 3-2. Westlake held Lehi scoreless in the bottom of the third.

During the fifth's lower top half, Dan Greenberg whacked a one-run single that unleashed a four-run rally for the Shockers.Vincent and Taylor Griffin each contributed a one-run single to the rally.

In the bottom of the fifth, Devin Smith tripled in three runs to tie the game at six, and Ty Willis tripled him in to put Lehi ahead 7-6.

The Froggies held the Shockers scoreless in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of it, Westlake had frustration with getting Lehi runners out. The Shockers grounded out only two Froggies. Singling into center during the sixth's lower half, Bingham soon stole home, and Lehi loaded the bases on one out soon afterwards. Johnson doubled in three runs that juiced up a nine-run rally. Bingham soon slugged a one-run single that ended the game.

Awesome AF Cavebatters Clobber Bad Old Brighton Puddy Tats 11-1 in 16-Under UBAL Game
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

The Awesome American Fork Cavemen's 16-under team clobbered the Brighton Bengals, AKA the Bad Old Puddy Tats, 11-1 in a 16-under age division game during Utah Baseball Academy League action at American Fork June 19.

Zack Conner scored the game's only Bad Old Puddy Tat run on a passed ball during the bottom of the fourth.

During the game's first three innings, the Awesome Cavemen got a double from Riley Bezzant and one from Kobe Lindeman. Coach Tyler Adams said, "Lindemann made three hit in the game. Two of them were two-out singles. I impressed that our guys were able to execute two-out rallies. We were able to get guys on base and move them around."

In the bottom of the first, American Fork scored two runs. The Awesome Cavemen picked up their third run in the second inning. The third inning saw them go on a four-run rally.

In the top of the fifth, Bad Old Puddy Tat Pouncer Larsen flew out to left.  Pitcher Griffy Larsen struck out Ben "Harry Chin" Chin, but gave up a single to Pat "Cool Cat" Garff. Second baseman Weston Flinders picked off a Boltz Southerland fly ball.

The bottom of the fifth went down as a moment that the Bad Old Puddy Tats couldn't help but groan, "Thuthering thuccatash!"

Singles from Griffy Larsen and Jake Smith set the stage for a devastating rally for the Awesome Cavemen. Flinders batted in Larsen on one-out. A Lindemann two-out, one-run single fueled the ensuing four-run rally, which caused the game to be called after the fifth.

As Brighton's arch rivals, the Alta Tweeties would say, those Bad Old Puddy Tats just couldn't find a way to recover from Lindemann and Bezzant's doubles.

Awesome AF Cavemen Skin Copper Hills Cubbies 9-3 in UBAL Action June 20
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Utah Baseball Academy League action American Fork June 20, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen defeated the Copper Hills Grizzlies, AKA the Cubbies, 9-3.

Singling into left during the start of the game, Cubbie Jaden Moyer enabled Copper Hills to load the bases on on outs through singles from Mason Dawes and Trevor Blackwell. Moyer came home on Yo Adrian Rojo's sacrifice fly. With starting pitcher Trell Morse getting injured by Blackwell's single, the Awesome Cavemen had to rely on Mick Madsen to throw for them. He didn't let the Cubbies score any more runs until the top of the fifth. When the Cubbies loaded the bases on two outs in the top of the third for example, Madsen caught a Sam Griffiths pop-up fly.

American Fork couldn't get on the board until the bottom of the third. Buster "Bunny"Hardman singled in Spencer "Roonie" Shelton to set off a three-run rally for the Awesome Cavemen. They picked up their next two third-inning runs on a Jace Ibarra sacrifice fly and a Colt Schear single.

Getting on base via a walk in the bottom of the fourth, Ryan "Rhino" Thompson got singled in by Jade Ybarra.

The top of the fifth opened with Blackwell singling into left, but he got caught in a double play. It didn't  Griffith from tripling into center and scoring on a passed ball. In retaliation, Kastan Rasmussen singled into left and he soon stole home to set off a five-run rally for American Fork. During the scoring spree, Thompson, Hardman, and Ibarra each hit a one-run double for American Fork. It couldn't score any runs in the sixth.

In the top of the seventh, Blackwell tripled into left on one out, and he stole home. Madsen shut Copper Hills down after that.

American Fork Coach Kyle Hardman said, "I'm happy Madsen showed up today, especially after Trell had to be taken to the hospital for a leg injury. Mick threw a lot of fast balls that confused Copper Hills."

Awesome AF Cavemen's 16-Under Team Falls to SF Dons 8-5 in UBAL Action June 21
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In a 16-under age division game, the Spanish Fork Dons, AKA the Happytowners, had a gay old time in defeating the Awesome American Fork Cavemen 8-5 in Utah Baseball Academy League action at American Fork June 21.

American Fork came really close to scoring the game's first run in the bottom of the first. On one out, McCade Worthen singled into left, but he got snagged in a putout play at second. Weston Flinder popped out to Spanish Fork's catcher to end the inning.

Determined to prove that they were as masculine as their hometown's manly girls, the Dons took a 2-0 lead on the sacrifice groundouts of Brigg Newman and Hayden Christensen.

The Awesome Cavemen got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Worthen's two-out double scored Chandler "Ram" Wood, who had hit a two-out single into right a few minutes before.

Before American Fork could catch up with Spanish Fork, the Happytowners trampled them in the fourth inning. Singles by twins Bracken and Brandon Archibald resulted in a five-run rally for Spanish Fork during the inning. One-run singles by Brendon Bradford Tanner "Hollywood" Argyle fueld the rally.

On two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Wood doubled in a run, and in the sixth, Griffy Larsen smacked a one-run single that set a three-run rally that put American Fork within 7-5.

Hitting a seventh-inning triple into right. Kaden Hopkins, a "distant cousin" of British actor Tony Hopkins, scored on a Parker Harrison sacrifice fly. Spanish Fork held American Fork scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, despite an infield, Worthen single.

Bingham Picker Dig Out 6-3 Win Over Ferocious PG Vikings in UBAL Play June 21
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher

In Utah Baseball Academy League play at Pleasant Grove June 21, the Bingham Pickers defeated the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings' 17-under division team 6-3.

The game opened with Picker Landon "Shaggy" Walbeck, a cousin of Alta Tweetie baseball great Scooby Doo Walbeck, getting on base through a walk. A Connor Goff sacrifice fly scored Shaggy Walbeck.

In response, Ferocious Viking Ben Elldredge fired a one-out double in the bottom of the first in hopes of tying the game at one. Even though walks by Chance Cook and Bryson Griffin, a "distant cousin" Family Guy character Peter Griffin, loaded the bases for the Ferocious Vikings, pitcher Grizzly Bearden steal struck out Corby Henry to hold Pleasant Grove scoreless. The Ferocious Vikings couldn't make any runs until the bottom of the fourth. In the meantime, the Pickers built up a respectable lead.

Pleasant Grove did prevent Shaggy Walbeck's second-inning single and  Logan "Bull" Leatherwood's second-inning double from producing runs for Bingham. An older brother of former American Fork pitching ace Dale "Grand Slam" Devereaux, Bingham Coach Brandon "Slim" Devereaux said, "We scored three runs on two outs in the fourth to clutch the game."

However, in the top of the fourth, Leatherwood doubled in a run to set off the three-run rally.

Singling into left in the bottom of the fourth, cook got moved into scoring position by a Griffin double. Cook got thrown out at home, but Griffin scored a run as Henry got pinched in a fielder's choice play at  second.

Thanks to a Walbeck single, Bingham loaded the bases in the top of fifth, and a Willis Anderson walk scored Shaggy Walbeck. Bearden struck out all of the three Ferocious Viking batters who went up against him in the bottom of the fifth.

Holding the Pickers scoreless in the top of the sixth, Pleasant Grove saw the inning's bottom half open with Elldredge hitting an infield single. On two outs, Griffin batted Eldredge in, then got put out at second.

Smacking an infield single at the start of the seventh, Tanner Burr, a "distant cousin" late TV actor Raymond Burr, scored the last Bingham on a Kay "Fiddle" Diddle sacrifice groundout. After Anders struck out, the Ferocious Vikings made a final attempt at rallying back. On two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brayden "Stanley" Livingston singled into right, and a Keith "Keito" Turner singled reeled him on two outs. Right fielder Leatherwood snatched an Elldredge fly ball to stop Pleasant Grove cold.

Pleasant Grove Coach Tyson Weber said, "We loaded the bases a few times in today's game, but we couldn't move lots of runners around the diamond."