Successful and suave: Provo baseball team doing things the right way
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- Provo pitcher Jared Monn delivers a pitch during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- The Provo Bulldogs pose with a plaque awarded to the top academic team in Class 4A before a playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Milo Rhineer slides in safely at third base during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo coach Lance Moore, left, gives instruction to players in the dugout during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Kampton Fuller (27) greets his teammates after scoring a run in a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo baseball coaches, including head coach Lance Moore (far right) discuss strategy during a 4A playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Jared Munn (20) delivers a pitch during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Kampton Fuller attempts to lay down a bunt during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Logan Brinkerhoff, 14, is greeted by teammate Drew Deucher after scoring a run in a 4A state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo second baseman Drew Deucher makes a throw during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo’s Gehrig Orchard, 11, slides in safely at second base during a 4A baseball state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
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- Provo baseball coach Lance Moore (center) talks during a meeting with the umpires before the start of a 4A state playoff game against Hillcrest on Friday, May 3, 2024.
Gentlemen. Scholars. Athletes.
The Provo baseball team lived up to one of coach Lance Moore’s favorite mottos in Friday’s 10-0 mercy-rule victory against Hillcrest in Game 1 of the best-of-three 4A regionals.
“Gentlemen” because a huge collision at first base didn’t lead to a bench-clearing brawl like it probably would have at the major league or college level. “Scholars” because before the game, the Bulldogs were awarded a plaque by the Utah High School Activities Association for having the best team GPA (3.86) in Class 4A. And “athletes” after 10-running the Huskies for the third time this season behind a no-hitter from senior Jared Monn.
In a “me, me, me” sports world of transfer portals and enormous NIL bags, Provo and Moore still try to succeed by doing things the right way: The Bulldogs have won the same academic award in two of the past three seasons.
“I always tell them this (the baseball field) is my sanctuary,” Moore said. “I get to hang out with kids who have similar goals. I have a son (the third who will play for him at Provo) coming here next year. Having Dawson coming here hanging out with these guys, there’s nowhere else I’d rather he be. He knows these kids and he looks up to them. That they play hard and do the things they need to do in the classroom, it’s fun to see.”
Monn retired 13 of the 16 batters he faced, throwing 60 pitches and striking out four in five quick innings of work. It was the third no-hitter of his career.
“I threw a lot of fastballs and they couldn’t touch it today, which was nice,” Monn said. “I pounded away with my fastball, then when I needed it I would flip the curveball or throw a little change up here and there to keep them off balance. It worked out great.”
Moore added, “Monster (Monn) was really good today and we played great defense.”
Provo pushed across three runs in the bottom of the second, scoring on a Hillcrest error, a wild pitch and an RBI single by Monn. Drew Deucher’s RBI single in the third made the score 4-0. Kampton Fuller and Gehrig Orchard each drove in a run in a five-run fourth for a 9-0 advantage. In the bottom of the fifth, Fuller came through with a bases-loaded single to score Milo Rhineer from third and ended the game by the mercy rule.
The entire team helped groom the field after the game before heading over to the concessions stand for some well-earned J-Dawgs.
“A lot of these guys are on top of their school work,” Monn said. “They’re good kids, good students and good players. Provo is a great school. I love all the teachers here and its amazing to learn under each and every one of them. I’m grateful they’re focused on each student.”
Fuller finished 2 for 4 with two RBI for Provo.
“We just played with a swagger,” he said. “We like to call it ‘suave.’ We say we play with suave. We swung the bats like we know how and hit some lasers out there. We played with confidence.”
When asked who the smartest player on the team was, Fuller said, “I’m going to have to say our starting pitcher today, Jared Monn. He’s a genius. We all just go to school and get stuff done, then we come out here to the baseball field. We just come here and play ball.”
Moore earned career victory No. 298 on Friday.
“I don’t know if that’s right, but it’s somewhere around there,” Moore said. “I’ve been around a long time but as I think about it, I’ve known so many kids and now I’m coaching kids that I had their dads on the team. That’s truly an honor. I like to think I made some difference in some kid’s lives and taught them some baseball. I’m still enjoying it. This is the cream of the crop right here, the best kids at Provo High. They are exceptional young men and their families teach them the right things. We have the same 30-something kids that show up at open gym in the off-season. They live for this program and treat each other like family. I love to coach these kids.”
Game 2 of the best-of-three series between No. 9 seed Provo (17-8) and No. 24 seed Hillcrest (1-25) is set for 1 p.m on Saturday.
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