Timp Sports Weekly
April 14, 2015
Publisher's Message
I spent this recent Spring Break covering an Awesome American Cavewoman softball game against the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA the Timberpups and T-Pups. I also covered some baseball games played between the Awesome Cavemen and the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies. Three of those games were contests in which the head coaches were brothers. We'll look at those games, which I promise you were quite riveting, or as they say in Lehi, ribitting. So let's get to those stories.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
magnanovelist@gmail.com
Awesome AF Cavewomen Defeat Timpanogos T-Pups 5-4 in Softball Action April 6
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In a non-league softball game played at American Fork April 6, the Awesome American Fork Cavewomen defeated the Timpanogos Timberwolves, AKA T-Pups, 5-4.
Although bragging rights were the only things on the line, the two teams played as though they were vying for the privilege of going to state. American Fork and Timpanogos battled to a scoreless tie in the first inning.
In the top of the second inning, Kelise Christensen hit a two-out triple to bring in fellow T-Pup Maggie, who had singled into left. The T-Pups' 1-0 lead didn't last for long. Hitting a one-out single in the bottom of the second, Anna Varganson soon came home on Shawnie Hillman's ground-rule double, hit into left field.
With the Awesome Cavewomen holding the T-Pups scoreless in the third and the fourth, American Fork pulled head during those two innings. Thanks to two Timberpup errors, the Awesome Cavewommen loaded the bases on two outs in the bottom of the third. With Brook Hill getting beaned by an Addie Gillespie pitch, Tristy Tusinga came home for a go-ahead run. In the bottom of the fourth, Savannah "Smiles" Stephenson singled in Allie Winter to stretch American Fork's lead to 3-1.
In the top of the fifth, Marissa "Super" Dale singled in Mikayla Hutchison and Jade Kapler to tie the game at three. In the bottom of the fifth, Stephenson singled Winter in again, but got thrown out in a fielder's choice play at second.
With the T-Pups loading bases on two outs in the top of the sixth, a Hutichison walk scored another tying run for them. A T-Pup error in the bottom of the inning let Varganson come home for the winning run.
American Fork Coach Leslie Warre said, "We played really great defense. We weren't surprised that Timpanogos kept coming back. They're a very determined team. We learned a lot from this game and the Provo Invitational last weekend, where we posted a 4-0 record."
Awesome AF Cavemen Sweep 3-Game Varsity Series Against Lehi Froggies
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavemen's varsity baseball team spent its recent Spring Break Week playing against the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, coached by AF head Jarod "Prankster" Ingersoll's little brother Jason. The series showed that even though a rivalry definitely existed between those two brothers on the diamond, they were still willing to smile for a photograph taken of them right after Game 3 of the series. (The photograph was later published on Facebook.)
The Awesome Cavemen dried up the Froggies in all three games of the series. In the first game, which went nine innings, the Awesome Cavemen outlasted their arch rivals 11-5. In lasting only five innings, Game 2 saw American Fork drain Lehi 17-1. American Fork edged out Lehi 3-1 in Game 3.
In the first inning of Game 1, singles from Mick Madsen and Hagen "Speedster" Holmstead enabled American Fork to load the bases on no outs. Quicker than you could say Ali Lamb Chop, a Dallin Searle walk scored Kody "Coco" Hall to start a three-run rally for the Awesome Cavemen. Seth "Needles" Taylor and Jake Norton each singled in a run during that rally. Pitcher Drew "Zimmy" Zimmerman struck out Sir Turner Knight and Hayden "Chief" Wood to shut down the rally.
In the bottom of the first, pitcher Searle didn't let a single Froggie get on base. Zimmerman didn't let the Awesome Cavemen make any runs during the second and third innings, though Taylor "Guard Dog" Gardner did club a left-field single in the top of the third.
Meanwhile, the Froggies leaped back into the game. In the bottom of the second, Jason James tripled in Kelt Higgins. The next inning, Blake Smith slugged a two-out single to reel in fellow Froggie Broc Hansen to shorten the lead to 3-2.
Tripling into left at the start of the fourth, Wood came home on a Hall sacrifice fly, but despite a Holmstead single hit into left field, American Fork couldn't get a rally going.
Within Kelton Higgins and Ryan Barnes each whacking a single in the bottom of the fourth, the Froggies loaded the bases on two outs. Before the Froggies could leap ahead that inning, right fielder Norton picked off a Cam Grace fly ball.
In the fifth, Gardner and Norton each slugged a single to give American Fork a chance for staging a rally. However, right fielder Blake Smith picked off two straight flies to keep the Awesome Cavemen scoreless in the fifth.
When Tyler James' one-out double had moved Koy Smith, a great-grandson of late American Fork sportswriter Johnny Roberts, to third in the bottom of the fifth, Jarod Ingersoll had Justin DeMarco, a grandnephew of my former schoolmate Ken DeMarco, take over pitching duties. The pitching change didn't stop the Froggies from leaping ahead. Kelton Higgins singled in two runs to tie the game at four, and his brother Kaden hit a tie-breaking, one-run single. Kaden Higgins' RBI gave the Froggies much to croak about -- until the top of the seventh.
With no outs in the top of the seventh, Buster "Bunny" Hardman singled in Gardner to tie the game at five. Lehi received a fair chance to win the game in the bottom of that inning when the Froggies loaded the bases on two outs. However, reliever Norton struck out Ty Willes to force the game into extra innings.
Neither team could put runners on base in the eighth inning. In the top of the ninth, the Froggies' morale got hit by two big blows. One of those blows was the ejection of reliever Jason James from the game. That Froggie could not see action again until Friday. The other big blow to Lehi was a six-run rally that began with a Gardner sacrifice fly that scored Holmstead. With Sir Turner and Norton each bunting in a run, the rally moved at top speed. After a Wood sacrifice fly had scored a run, Hall tripled in two runs to put American Fork's lead at 11-5. Norton held the Froggies scoreless in the bottom of the seventh.
Jarod Ingersoll said, "Jason's had a great rapport with his players. They gave us great battle today. They beat in one game in our series with them last year. They're not to be underestimated. I am glad, though, that our guys held up under the pressure of those two extra innings to stage that six-run rally that earned us the win."
With rainy weather delaying Game 2, local baseball fans still expected that it would be still as riveting -- correction, ribbiting as Game 1. Played at American Fork, the second game was a letdown. In the first inning, for example, the Froggies committed four errors, which helped turn the contest into a blowout win for American Fork. Meanwhile pitcher Sir Turner Knight didn't let the Froggies make a single hit until the fourth when Grace singled into left.
The Awesome Cavemen scored all of their 17 runs in the first two innings. In the bottom of the first, for example, Hall doubled into left, and he soon came home on the first Froggie error. After Searle bunted in a run, Norton and Holmstead each swatted a two-run double to fuel the Awesome Cavemen's 10-run rally in the first.
A Gardner double set the stage for the Awesome Cavemen's seven-run rally in the second. Soon after hitting that two-bagger, Gardner got bunted in by Sir Turner. By the time the Froggies finally shut American Fork's scoring for the day, the Awesome Cavemen had accumulated a 17-0 lead.
Hit by a pitch at the start of the fifth, Kelt Higgins scored the Froggies' only run of the game on a Willes' sacrifice fly.
Game 2's outcome left Jarod and Jason Ingersoll's mom, Jean, crying. She said she wished Lehi could have played better. Jarod Ingersoll said, "Turner came out and slammed the door hard on Lehi. We know what a hard loss today was for Jason's team. We've been there a few times ourselves. I'm sure Jason's players will learn from today and move on."
On Friday, the Froggies definitely did play as a completely different kind of team. They battled the Awesome Cavemen to a scoreless tie until the sixth inning. Moreover, American Fork didn't make any hits until the sixth.
In the top of the sixth, Sir Turner singled into center, and he soon came home on a Hall single. American Fork loaded the bases soon afterwards, and a Holmstead walk produced the second Awesome Caveman run. Lehi suddenly popped American Fork with a double play.
In the bottom of the sixth, Blake Smith singled on two outs into left, and Tyler James batted him in. Shortstop Kody Hall grounded out Kelton Higgins to protect American Fork's 2-1 lead.
Awesome AF Cavemen Sweep 3-Game Varsity Series Against Lehi Froggies
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavemen's varsity baseball team spent its recent Spring Break Week playing against the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, coached by AF head Jarod "Prankster" Ingersoll's little brother Jason. The series showed that even though a rivalry definitely existed between those two brothers on the diamond, they were still willing to smile for a photograph taken of them right after Game 3 of the series. (The photograph was later published on Facebook.)
The Awesome Cavemen dried up the Froggies in all three games of the series. In the first game, which went nine innings, the Awesome Cavemen outlasted their arch rivals 11-5. In lasting only five innings, Game 2 saw American Fork drain Lehi 17-1. American Fork edged out Lehi 3-1 in Game 3.
In the first inning of Game 1, singles from Mick Madsen and Hagen "Speedster" Holmstead enabled American Fork to load the bases on no outs. Quicker than you could say Ali Lamb Chop, a Dallin Searle walk scored Kody "Coco" Hall to start a three-run rally for the Awesome Cavemen. Seth "Needles" Taylor and Jake Norton each singled in a run during that rally. Pitcher Drew "Zimmy" Zimmerman struck out Sir Turner Knight and Hayden "Chief" Wood to shut down the rally.
In the bottom of the first, pitcher Searle didn't let a single Froggie get on base. Zimmerman didn't let the Awesome Cavemen make any runs during the second and third innings, though Taylor "Guard Dog" Gardner did club a left-field single in the top of the third.
Meanwhile, the Froggies leaped back into the game. In the bottom of the second, Jason James tripled in Kelt Higgins. The next inning, Blake Smith slugged a two-out single to reel in fellow Froggie Broc Hansen to shorten the lead to 3-2.
Tripling into left at the start of the fourth, Wood came home on a Hall sacrifice fly, but despite a Holmstead single hit into left field, American Fork couldn't get a rally going.
Within Kelton Higgins and Ryan Barnes each whacking a single in the bottom of the fourth, the Froggies loaded the bases on two outs. Before the Froggies could leap ahead that inning, right fielder Norton picked off a Cam Grace fly ball.
In the fifth, Gardner and Norton each slugged a single to give American Fork a chance for staging a rally. However, right fielder Blake Smith picked off two straight flies to keep the Awesome Cavemen scoreless in the fifth.
When Tyler James' one-out double had moved Koy Smith, a great-grandson of late American Fork sportswriter Johnny Roberts, to third in the bottom of the fifth, Jarod Ingersoll had Justin DeMarco, a grandnephew of my former schoolmate Ken DeMarco, take over pitching duties. The pitching change didn't stop the Froggies from leaping ahead. Kelton Higgins singled in two runs to tie the game at four, and his brother Kaden hit a tie-breaking, one-run single. Kaden Higgins' RBI gave the Froggies much to croak about -- until the top of the seventh.
With no outs in the top of the seventh, Buster "Bunny" Hardman singled in Gardner to tie the game at five. Lehi received a fair chance to win the game in the bottom of that inning when the Froggies loaded the bases on two outs. However, reliever Norton struck out Ty Willes to force the game into extra innings.
Neither team could put runners on base in the eighth inning. In the top of the ninth, the Froggies' morale got hit by two big blows. One of those blows was the ejection of reliever Jason James from the game. That Froggie could not see action again until Friday. The other big blow to Lehi was a six-run rally that began with a Gardner sacrifice fly that scored Holmstead. With Sir Turner and Norton each bunting in a run, the rally moved at top speed. After a Wood sacrifice fly had scored a run, Hall tripled in two runs to put American Fork's lead at 11-5. Norton held the Froggies scoreless in the bottom of the seventh.
Jarod Ingersoll said, "Jason's had a great rapport with his players. They gave us great battle today. They beat in one game in our series with them last year. They're not to be underestimated. I am glad, though, that our guys held up under the pressure of those two extra innings to stage that six-run rally that earned us the win."
With rainy weather delaying Game 2, local baseball fans still expected that it would be still as riveting -- correction, ribbiting as Game 1. Played at American Fork, the second game was a letdown. In the first inning, for example, the Froggies committed four errors, which helped turn the contest into a blowout win for American Fork. Meanwhile pitcher Sir Turner Knight didn't let the Froggies make a single hit until the fourth when Grace singled into left.
The Awesome Cavemen scored all of their 17 runs in the first two innings. In the bottom of the first, for example, Hall doubled into left, and he soon came home on the first Froggie error. After Searle bunted in a run, Norton and Holmstead each swatted a two-run double to fuel the Awesome Cavemen's 10-run rally in the first.
A Gardner double set the stage for the Awesome Cavemen's seven-run rally in the second. Soon after hitting that two-bagger, Gardner got bunted in by Sir Turner. By the time the Froggies finally shut American Fork's scoring for the day, the Awesome Cavemen had accumulated a 17-0 lead.
Hit by a pitch at the start of the fifth, Kelt Higgins scored the Froggies' only run of the game on a Willes' sacrifice fly.
Game 2's outcome left Jarod and Jason Ingersoll's mom, Jean, crying. She said she wished Lehi could have played better. Jarod Ingersoll said, "Turner came out and slammed the door hard on Lehi. We know what a hard loss today was for Jason's team. We've been there a few times ourselves. I'm sure Jason's players will learn from today and move on."
On Friday, the Froggies definitely did play as a completely different kind of team. They battled the Awesome Cavemen to a scoreless tie until the sixth inning. Moreover, American Fork didn't make any hits until the sixth.
In the top of the sixth, Sir Turner singled into center, and he soon came home on a Hall single. American Fork loaded the bases soon afterwards, and a Holmstead walk produced the second Awesome Caveman run. Lehi suddenly popped American Fork with a double play.
In the bottom of the sixth, Blake Smith singled on two outs into left, and Tyler James batted him in. Shortstop Kody Hall grounded out Kelton Higgins to protect American Fork's 2-1 lead.
On two outs in the top of the seventh, Sir Turner hit a one-run single that improved American Fork's lead at 3-1. In the bottom of the seventh, center fielder Taylor made a diving catch of a Kayden Higgins fly ball, enabling American Fork to make short work of Lehi.
Jarod Ingersoll said, "Jason James kept us in check for those first five innings. We finally grinded out some hits in the sixth, though. We had great communication between pitcher Hayden Wood and catcher Ty Gardner. They came up with some great plays for us in today's game.
"As for my brother, he's done a hell of a good job with these kids playing for him. For a long time, Lehi has been a door mat for other baseball teams, because Lehi didn't have a coach how to play as well as they're doing now. Lehi has to be taken seriously now."
Awesome AF Cavemen Fall to Lehi Froggies in Sophomore Baseball Game April 9
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
With foul spring break weather shortening their sophomore baseball series against the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, to one game, the Awesome American Fork Cavemen found themselves having to wait until 2016 to have another shot at trying to beat their webfooted rivals. In an April 9 game at American Fork, the Froggies leaped past the Awesome Cavemen 7-6.
The game opened with Froggie Andy Johnson singling into left. A nephew of former Timpanogos Timberpup Coach Mark Hardman, Ryan Hardman answered that hit by turning up a double play.
Neither team could score until the bottom of the second when Spencer "Rooney" Shelton singled in Hardman on two outs. Weston Flinders singled in Shelton.
With American Fork holding Lehi scoreless during the game's first four innings, the Awesome Cavemen got their third run in the third when Cole "Nails" Carpenter hammered a single that brought in Brit Warner.
The game went downhill for the Awesome Cavemen in the top of the fifth. Froggie Clayton Drigg drilled a left-field double that scored Zach Bingham and unleashed a four-run rally fueled by a Slick Clark double. With Chandler "Crazy Horse" Wood hitting a double in the bottom of the fifth, Carpenter singled him to tie the game at four, and he came home on a Dillon Johnston single to put American Fork ahead 5-4.
In the sixth's top half, Bingham batted in Ty Willes to tie the game five, and the Froggies held American Fork scoreless that inning. During the sixth, the Froggies leaped ahead 7-5 on one-singles whacked by Cam "Coop" Cooper and Willes. On one out in the bottom of the sixth's lower half, Carpenter singled in Wood, who had doubled a few minutes before. The next American Fork batters flew out before Carpenter could score the winning run.
Awesome AF Cavemen Defeat Lehi Froggies 2-1 in JV Baseball Series
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavemen's junior varsity baseball team won a series against the Lehi Pioneers, AKA the Froggies, two games to one during the recent Spring Break Week.
In April 9 action, the Froggies hopped past American Fork 10-5 on the Awesome Cavemen's home diamond. However, in an April 11 doubleheader at Lehi, the Awesome Cavemen dried up Lehi by scores of 7-1 and 12-2.
The Awesome Cavemen apparently believed that Lehi's jayees were as mentally unprepared as the Froggies' varsity players were for the April 9 tripleheader that American Fork hosted. That assumption of American Fork's jayvees' turned out to be wrong. The Froggies were indeed ready to play in Game 1 of the series.
In the top of the first, Lehi loaded the bases on one out, and Ty James scored a run on a Stockton Birch sacrifice fly. American Fork tied the game at one in the bottom of the inning, but Lehi pulled ahead 2-1 when Kaden Higgins hit a two-out, one single in the third.
During the bottom of the fourth, American Fork went on a three-run rally in the fourth, thanks to a Buster "Bunny" Hardman single, but the Awesome Cavemen's 4-2 lead vanished through an eight-run that the Froggies launched on a Zac Bingham double in the sixth. American Fork never recovered from that inning despite s one-run, seventh inning single hit by Ryan Hardman.
In the bottom of the first inning of Game 2 of the series, Kelton Higgins hit a one-run single to put the Froggies on the scoreboard first. On two outs in the top of the second, Colt Scharer scored on an error, tying the game at one.
With the Awesome Cavemen holding the Froggies scoreless through the rest of the game, American Fork pulled ahead in the third. On one out in the top of that inning, Mick Madsen doubled left, and he came home on a Tua Ward single. A Kastan Rasmussen sacrifice fly scored Hagen "Speedster" Holmstead.
During the fourth, the Awesome Cavemen scored two runs on an error and Cole "Nails" Carpenter groundout.
With American Fork loading the bases in the fifth, Madsen stole home, and Trell Morse singled in Rasmussen to put the game's final score at 7-1.
On one out in the first inning of Game 3, Tua Ward singled in Madsen to open a four-run rally for American Fork. Colt Schareer doubled in three runs to improve the Awesome Caveman lead at 4-0. in the bottom of the first, a Broc Hansen sacrifice fly scored a run, but American Fork didn't the Froggies get another run until the third.
In the second, American Fork went on another four-run rally, hinting that the game wouldn't last seven innings. It didn't.
In the third's lower half, Jared Anderson stole home, but American Fork didn't let the Froggies make any more runs after that inning.
American Fork picked up two fifth-inning runs on a Tua Ward double, and in the sixth, Marty "Do the Hustle" McCoy hit a one-run single that sparked a four-run rally that put the game away from American Fork.
American Fork Jayvee coach Jay Holmstead, "Oh, forget about last Thursday. Our guys played really great defense today. It enabled us to sweep both of these games."
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