High school baseball: Timpanogos jumps on Provo early in rout

PROVO — After watching his team split a two-game series with Lehi last week, Timpanogos baseball coach Kim Nelson worried that the Timberwolves didn't have what it took to pull out a sweep over the top teams in Region 7.

If Wednesday's 14-6 win over Provo means anything, though, Nelson should feel much more at ease.

"Last week we beat Lehi the first game and it seemed to take a little edge off," he said. "We didn't really approach the second one the same way because we already had a win. Coming into today's game we were facing the same situation, but the guys came out and were more focused. That's what I'd like to see from now on."

After beating the Bulldogs 8-1 on Monday, Timpanogos (8-5, 5-1) jumped out to a 6-2 lead after two innings then cruised to the blowout win thanks in large part to shortstop Colton Laird and pitcher JD Ashman.

Laird went 3-for-3 and reached base in each of his five plate appearances.

He bounced a two-run double down the third-base line in the second inning then crushed a two-run homer to left field in the sixth, finishing the game with four RBIs and four runs scored.

Ashman gave up two runs in the bottom of the first inning then proceeded to throw four straight shutout innings. He improved his record to 4-2 and finished with seven strikeouts. At the plate, he went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs.

"We tried to put pressure on them early by getting on base, and I think we did that. Colton had a great game, as did some of our other guys," Nelson said. "JD settled down and made some really good pitches in some key spots to Provo's best hitters. That was big for us."

Provo starter Jordan Johnson gave up six runs on seven hits in only 1 2/3 innings before being pulled. The Bulldogs used four more pitchers and all but one — Austin Rose, who pitched 2/3 of an inning — gave up at least one run.

"Being the second game of a series, it was important for us to get them into their second, third, fourth and fifth pitchers," Nelson said. "I like our chances when that happens."

A single by third baseman Kyle Ayoso — who went 4-for-4 with four singles — and double by first baseman Hayden Denton gave Provo (8-4, 4-2) a brief 2-1 lead in the first inning before the wheels came off in the second. Provo added two runs in the sixth inning to avoid an early ending thanks to the 10-run rule, then pushed across two more in the seventh.

Little-used Kameron Hamilton walked then scored as a late-game sub in the sixth inning then knocked in Provo's two seventh-inning runs with a single.

With the game out of reach, each team went deep into its bench in the seventh inning. Provo used five pinch hitters and 18 players in all while Timpanogos used eight pinch hitters and 17 total players.

"Something like this doesn't happen often, because we usually want to give the at-bats to the varsity kids," Nelson said. "But it's a good experience for some of the younger guys and I'm glad it worked out like it did today."