Thursday, April 14, 2005 - 10:17 PM
Neil K. Warner
DAILY HERALD
If Provo coach Lance Moore was wondering what his Bulldogs would look like if they ever put everything together, he found out Thursday afternoon as Provo pounded Timpview 17-5 in a six-inning Region 6 baseball game.
The game featured 14 Provo hits. The Bulldogs drew 11 walks. They stole five bases and turned two double plays.
And that's not taking into consideration the pitching of Travis Ayoso and Craig Brimhall. The pair worked out of two bases-loaded jams and combined to three-hit Timpview. Ayoso fanned 11 and worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Brimhall pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing no hits and got Ayoso out of a tough spot in the fifth by inducing a ground-ball double play.
"I can't say enough about the job those guys (Ayoso and Brimhall) did against a team that hits the ball like this," Moore added. "(Timpview's) averaging nine or 10 runs a game. They swing it as good as any team I've seen."
Ayoso gave up two of his three hits in the bottom of the first inning. Josh Barber led off the game with a walk. Luke Ashworth and Adam Crowley followed with RBI doubles to give Timpview a 2-1 lead.
The T'Birds added three more runs in the second inning when a Provo error and two walks loaded the bases for Ben Ashworth, who drove in a run on an infield single. Ayoso walked in a run when he pitched around Luke Ashworth.
Ayoso then struck out the next four batters, but one of them reached base after swinging at a pitch in the dirt that bounced away from catcher Josh Beasley, allowing the third run of the inning to score to put Timpview up 5-2.
But once Timpview had the lead, it did itself in by walking 11 and committing five errors.
Provo took a 7-5 lead with a five-run third inning that featured RBI singles from Brock Brimhall and Chad D'Haenens.
Provo tacked on three more runs in the fifth thanks in large part to Beasley's two-out two-run single.
Meanwhile, Ayoso didn't allow a hit after the second inning.
"I had a lot of walks. My ball was moving a lot, it was just hard to locate it," Ayoso said. "They're a pretty good offensive team. I just tried to keep the ball down and throws lost of knuckle curves."
While Ayoso and Brimhall were shutting down Timpview, Provo's offense put the game away with a seven-run sixth inning. Provo sent 12 men to the plate. D'Haenens walked twice in the inning. Brock Brimhall singled in another run and Craig Brimhall singled in two more.
Beasley had three of Provo's 14 hits. Ayoso was 2-for-3 to help himself pick up the win. Brock and Craig Brimhall each went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI.
"I couldn't be happier for those two guys (Brimhall brothers)," Moore added. "They were kind of the catalyst in the whole offensive attack today."
The loss was a bruising blow to Timpview's playoff hopes. The T'Birds fell to 0-5 in league play, two games behind Provo, American Fork and Payson, which are all tied for third at 2-3.
Provo 115 437 -- 17 14 0
Timpview 230 000 -- 5 3 5
Ayoso, C. Brimhall (5) and Beasley. Barrett, Bingham (3), Eyre (6), Wright (6) and Harrison. WP-Ayoso, LP-Barrett. 2B-Crowley (T), L. Ashworth (T), Griner (P).
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C6.