Prep baseball: Timpanogos overpowers Corner..

Prep baseball • T-wolves overpower Chargers, 9-5.

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Orem • The Timpanogos bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning to blow open a close game and help the Timberwolves to a 9-5 Region 7 victory over Corner Canyon on Tuesday afternoon.

At that critical point in the contest, Timpanogos held a slim 4-3 advantage with two outs and two men on base.

Senior Kadin Walker strode to the plate and drove in the first of four runs in a rally that effectively put the game away for the home squad.

While waiting for his batting turn in the on-deck circle, Walker noticed that the Charger pitcher was throwing mostly flat fastballs.

"I just wanted to make sure I got a pitch to hit," he said. "The ball came at me right where I'd scouted it, so it was easy to get behind it."

Despite the pressure of the situation, Walker said his approach wasn't any different from what he normally does. "Just like everyone else, when I go out to bat, I just want to do my job," he said.

However, it was senior pitcher Tyler Cornish who led the charge for the Timberwolves, from the mound as well as behind the plate.

He threw three shutout innings to start the game but then gave up three runs in the top of the fourth. He responded with another shutout inning and yielded only one more run before being replaced in the top of the seventh.

"They are a good-hitting team, so I knew it was important to get off to a good first inning," Cornish said. "That first zero is important. I wanted to set up for my team to go out to bat."

The pitcher took a businesslike approach to getting roughed up in the fourth. "It's not easy mentally to get back in the groove after that, but I realized I just left a few pitches up."

After talking with his coach, Cornish said he was able to make the necessary adjustments to attain his earlier level of success.

He also helped himself by going 3-for-4 at the plate, including a home run and two RBIs.

His earlier experiences while batting set up the home run. "In my prior two at-bats, the first pitch was a fastball," Cornish said. "When I saw one coming, I was just aggressive and stayed back." —

Storylines

R The arm and the bat of Tyler Cornish lead Timpanogos to a Region 7 victory over Corner Canyon.

• Charger sophomore Collin Garrett and senior Marshall Nice each hit a double in the contest..

• The Timberwolves move to 14-1, 5-0, while Corner Canyon is 9-7, 3-2. The series concludes Thursday.

Prep baseball: Timpanogos overpowers Corner Canyon, 9-5