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Show OREM GENEVA TIMES Thursday, June 1. 2006 COMMUNITY SPORTS, PEOPLE AND OUTDOOR FUN Page 6 T'W After sweeping Spanish Fork in Region 4, Dons trump Timpanogos in softball finale Jared Lloyd In two regular-season meetings meet-ings i fie I impanogos softball ti-airi shut down the powerful Sj;inish I ork of tense, holding it in a total ot une hit. In the 5A stale title game I hursday alternoon. the Dons turned I tie tables Spanish Fork senior pitcher Whitney Robinson only gave up two hits and kept the Timber Tim-ber wolves from scoring, giving giv-ing the lams the 4-0 win and their first state title since 2000. " I his means everything to me," Robinson said with a big grin. "I rom my freshman year, we've been working at getting this. It's just awesome." awe-some." In the aftermath of the championship cham-pionship victory, the entire Spanish l ork team brought the trophy over to head coach Don Andrews. As he held the symbol of the accomplishment, he couldn't help hut get a little emotional as his players gave him a group hug. " That meant a lot to me (to win the title)," he said. "This was a special team and today we played for a special person (long-time Spanish Fork soft-ball soft-ball supporter Larry Gardner, who passed away in February)." Febru-ary)." While the Dons controlled the action for most of the game, they felt some heat in the top of the first inning. A single, an error and a walk loaded the bases for Timpanogos Timpano-gos with only one out. "After they started getting to me, I knew I had to pick it up," Robinson explained. "When I have to pick it up, I usually do. I also got a lot of help from my team " I he Don pitcher bore down, striking out the next T'wolf batter and getting a pop fly to get out of the jam. "Not letting them score in the top of the first inning was key." Andrews said. "Whitney (Robinson) just moved the ball Tigers refuse to let T'Birds get upper hand in big victory Neil K. Warner (XiDI.N You want to know the l-st way to demoralize your opponent'' Want to know how to really break their spirit and torture them'' i ight tire with fire. Aaswer a tug rally with a bigger big-ger one. .lust when it lixiked like the three runs Timpview scored in the top of the third inning would get the T'Birds back in the game, (rem answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning to key a 14-4. six-inning wm over Timpview on Monday night in Ogden at the Class 4 A state baseball tournament. The loss in the elimination round ended Timpview's season, sea-son, while the win kept Orem in the chase for the title. "I thought they kind of folded after that point," said Orem coach (Jary Miner. "I think we're going to have to play a lot letter tomorrow agaiast Woods Cross. I thought our bats were kind of weak, but I'm certainly grateful. I never want to be ungrateful un-grateful for a 144 win." Timpview didn't help itself. The 1 Birds committed five er rors that led to six unearned runs. The T'Bird pitching staff issued 12 free passes (eight walks and four flit batsmen). Orem jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, but Timpview came back with three runs in the third. Bryvtn Griffin started the rally ral-ly with a single. Josh Barber followed fol-lowed with a single and Austin ves fm m Bk mm pro , - ; ; ;;, , . ; f ' '''''' ' ''' ;;j;v- ,V2 - 7 MARK) RUIZNorth County Timpanogos' Jennifer Harris catches (he ba for an out at first as Spanish Fork's Katelyn Elliot runs to the base. around and hit her spots well." The outcome of the contest remained in doubt, but Timpanogos Timpa-nogos head coach Frank Bra-mall Bra-mall understood how important impor-tant that moment became. "When we had the bases loaded with one out and didn't score, that probably was the dagger right there." he said. The Timberwolves started junior backup pitcher Tajia Law for the second straight game, hoping to give senior hurler Alii Bramwell some rest. Law pitched well, but Spanish Span-ish Fork did get to her in the second inning. A double by sophomore right fielder katelyn Elliott, a hard shot by junior catcher Susan Cole that the Timpanogos Timpano-gos third baseman couldn't get a handle on and a single by sophomore second baseman Bingham then got hold of a Jason Ja-son (jolightly fastball and sent it over the 'Mi sign in center field for a three-run homer. Orem answered in a big way, with five runs in the bottom half of the inning. It all started when Matt Jensen reached base on an error. Justin Fay singled and Tyler Carn beat out a bunt to load the bases. The inning continued with a two-run single from Goose Kal-lunki, Kal-lunki, an RBI single from C.J. Harrison and an Isaac Strong walk. A pitching change didn't stop the Tigers. Robbie Larson replaced Bingham. Jordan Sargent greeted Larson with a single and CJolightly walked to force in another run to give Orem a 9-3 lead. Timpview's shaky defease helped Orem take control of the game early. The Tigers struck for two unearned ruas in the first when Bingham walked two and hit a batter to load the bases. A Timpview error allowed al-lowed two ruas to score. In the second inning, Bingham Bing-ham hit Kallunki and Harrison and after Bingham got Isaac Strong to ground out, Jordan Sargent singled in a run and Brady Hansen drove in anixher run to put the Tigers up 4-0. The Tigers added a run in the fourth and four more in the sixth. The game ended when Matt Jensen singled in the final run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Tigers the 10-run rule win. Timpview head coach Troy Farnsworth was not at the Ashley Chappie scored two runs to put the Dons in front to stay. FIven though Spanish Fork held a 2-0 lead after three full innings of play, Andrews felt some concern when Bramwell came in to pitch. "I thought we had a chance to break the game open, and we didn't do it," he said. "I was surprised when they brought Bramwell in that we didn't have more trouble. I told the team that we'd missed an opportunity op-portunity and that now we'd have to get to Bramwell." With their powerful pitcher on the mound, the Timber-wolves Timber-wolves hoped they could shut down the Dons and get a couple cou-ple runs of their own. But Cole crushed those hopes when she stepped in as the leadoff batter bat-ter in the bottom of the fourth inning. rift,, "j? '' MARIO RUIZNorth County Orem'f Jason Golightly pitches against Box Elder in the Class 4A state baseball tournament last week. game. His son was taken to the hospital shortly before the game. Assistant coach Joseph Johaason managed to team. "All game long we played tentative," Johanson said. "We played a lot of nerves. This is the first time we've been to the tournament in a while. We helped them with walks, hit batsmen and errors. It was just an ugly game." While loss ended Timpview's season, the T'Birds made a giant gi-ant leap forward as a program. The Spanish Fork catcher blasted a solo home run to left, sending a message that the Dons were not going to be denied. "It was a pretty big hit," Cole said. "It started a big rally ral-ly for us. But we were confident confi-dent coming in and we've seen (Bramwell) pitch all year. We know what she throws." Spanish Fork added another an-other run in the frame on an RBI single by Robinson, then closed the door by only letting two runners on base in the final fi-nal three innings. Although Timpanogos would've loved to have the season end differently, the loss in the championship game didn't take away any of their accomplishments throughout the year. "We had a great season," Bramall said. "I don't feel bad f. . Last year, Timpview won just four games. Barber and Bryson Griffin each had two hits for Timpview, Kallunki led the Tigers. He went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBI and made a series of plays at first where the throw from an infielder pulled him off the base, but he alertly tagged the runner for the out. fewrtmr 003 D1 411 Dm 22 104 1411 Bmtywii. Unon (3) BUM IS), lywwt 161 and McOonaM. WP-bobgnoy IP Bmgtam (T, McOonaM (T), KaMmH 0) HR'&ngnaffl (T) at all. Spanish Fork is a tough team to beat, the way they hit. We had good battles with them, but we got a little tired and wore down. I'm proud of my team." In the end, however, it was the Dons, the 5A champs, who did what was necessary to enjoy en-joy the final day of softball. "It's awesome," Cole said. "Right now it's unreal. It was so weird to hold the trophy in our hands. I feel like I'm still dreaming." In the 4A ranks, Box Oder held off Murray to win the state title game, 4-2. I Timpanogos 3, Viewmont 1: The Timberwolves made it to the title game by shutting down the powerful Viking offense of-fense in the play-in game. See TIMPANOGOS, Page 7 Woods Cross derails Orem in 4A tourney Neil K. Warner NORTH COUNTY OGDEN For Orem, everything every-thing was going fine until the fifth inning. But then call it a blowout on the freeway; call it a self-inflicted wound, a meltdown. Call it a season. Woods Cross erupted" for eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings to eliminate Orem from the state 4A baseball tournament with a 9-3 win Tuesday afternoon at Lindquist Field in Ogdea "I don't know what the score is if we play defense, but I know it's not 9-3," said Orem coach Gary Miner. "That was the difference. You've got to play defense. If you give extra outs, it just kifis you. Our goal forever has been to give yourself a chance to win a ball game in the last inning and when you go down seven, it's pretty tough to expect that." Orem finished the season with a Region 7 title and a 14- II overall record, tremendous progress first-year skipper Miner, who took over a team that had won just three games last year. "Yeah, we're happy to do as well as we've done," Miner added. "But I hope there is a bitter taste in their mouth." Orem took a 2-1 lead and appeared ap-peared to be in control of the game with starter Justin Fay throwing a gem. Trailing 1-0, the Tigers scored two runs in the fourth to take the lead. Brady Hansen led off the inning with a walk and Ja Sp. Fork nips Timpanogos in semifinals Jared Lloyd NORTH COUNTY Never underestimate the power of pixie dust. After the Spanish Fork softball team defeated Viewmont Tuesday, Spanish Span-ish Fork head coach Don Andrews said he might try to find some pixie dust for the Spanish Fork bats. He knew his Dons had found very little success against its foe in the 5A state semifinal game: Timpanogos Tim-panogos and pitcher Alii Bramwell. Spanish Fork had failed to score a run in either of the two Region 4 meetings this season. But such was not the case Wednesday at the Valley Complex in Salt Lake City, when the Dons not only got on the board, but came away with a thrilling 5-4 victory to earn a spot in the state title game. "My niece brought (the pixie dust)," Andrews joked after the win. "We must've picked the right color." Things looked grim for the girls in black and red when the Timberwolves scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. But Spanish Fork got the spark it needed in the third. Senior center fielder Lo-rin Lo-rin Thurgood stepped into the batters box with two out and no one on, but she got the pitch she wanted. She drilled it over the fence in left-center field to cut the T'Wolf lead in half. "I don't know if you can always count on home runs, but we'll take them when we get them," Andrews said. Timpanogos tacked on another run in the bottom bot-tom of the fifth, but the rumblings from the Don bats quickly became a roar when they next got up to bat. "I think seeing Bramwell three times helped and I'm not sure she was as sharp as she's been," Andrews said. "She still pitched very well, though." With two outs and a runner run-ner at second, Spanish Fork See SEMIFINALS, Page 7 son Golightly followed with a single. Matt Jensen laid down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by pitcher Mike Jasinsky, who tried to tag Jensen after he picked up the ball. Orem believed Jensen dodged the tag, but he was ruled out despite an objection from Miner. Fay then walked to load the bases and after a wild pitch allowed al-lowed one run to score, Tyler Cam's sacrifice fly allowed another an-other run to score to give the Tigers the lead. But the fifth inning proved to be Orem's demise. Woods Cross scored five runs on just two hits. One Orem error, a wild pitch and five walks in the inning opened the door for Woods Cross' five-spot. The Wildcats tacked on three more unearned runs in the sixth inning to put the game away. Woods Cross, the sixth-place team from Region 5, is proving prov-ing to be difficult to eliminate. The Wildcats beat West on Monday 17-12. Jasinsky went the distance for the Wildcats. He struck out seven and walked five He allowed Orem five hits and just three through the first six innings. In SOU 200 0 2 9 4 WMtaCna 100 062 1(0 fay WooManhuline 15) and Jensen. Jawnky and Gitett mf-Mne.i. U-Fay 28 McAflee (W), ChnMananWI.JanaenlO). Orem at 4A tournament Orem l.CypnoO io TtKhOtm t (8) BaaaMwIraeM Onm 14, Ttmpvww 4 Woods Crata t. Orem 3 W - r' at '- OOR |