OGDEN — Taylorsville pitcher Todd Morlock and catcher Kyle Loader have developed a chemistry on the baseball diamond.
"We've been playing together since we were little and on all-stars and little league," Morlock said. "We've been calling our own games since Babe Ruth."
With Loader calling the pitches and Morlock delivering, Taylorsville held Viewmont scoreless in the 5A state playoffs Tuesday in an 8-0 victory.
"Kyle called a great game today," Morlock said. "We were on the same page all game."
Loader had a few options at his disposal when deciding how to attack the Vikings. Morlock had four pitches that were working for him.
"I throw a four-seam fastball, a cutter, a curve and a changeup, and pretty much the whole game I could throw any of them for strikes," Morlock said.
Said Taylorsville coach Steve Cramblitt: "He was under control and really changed speeds well. He kept the ball down in the zone and the hitters off-balance."
Morlock did give up seven hits, including three in the fifth inning, but six of the seven were only singles. Only Levi Swenson managed an extra-base hit when he tripled in the second. Morlock seemed to be at his best when the Vikings would get a runner into scoring position. Five times Viewmont had a player reach second base, and all five times Morlock pitched his way out of the inning.
Not only was Morlock on his game on the mound, he also gave the offense a jump-start. In the second inning, it was Morlock who picked up the game's first RBI. Brett Nigbur doubled to lead off the inning, and Loader put down a nice sacrifice-bunt to advance him. Morlock hit a grounder to the shortstop who tried to come home, but Nigbur slid in safely to give the Warriors the lead they would never relinquish.
Taylorsville used a four-run fourth inning to stretch the lead and firmly grasp control of the game. One Taumoepeau doubled to lead off. Jason Gonzalez singled him home and then scored himself on Loader's RBI single. Tony Gray ripped a single down the left-field line to score Loader, and he later scored when Chris Donoghue prolonged a rundown long enough for Gray to reach home before Viewmont got the third out.
In the fifth, it was Taumoepeau, Gonzalez and Nigbur who again ignited the offense for two runs. Gonzalez and Nigbur each had an RBI in the rally.
"We are starting to hit the ball a little better," Cramblitt said. "Our two, three and four hitters came through for us. They all had good at-bats and came through for us."
Taumoepeau finished 1-for-3 with two runs scored while Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Nigbur was the only player in the game with multiple extra-base hits and was 3-for-4 with an RBI.
Taylorsville advanced to the finals of the winner's bracket and will play at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday at Lindquist field. Viewmont will drop to the elimination side and plays Bingham today at 1:30 p.m.
In other 5A playoff games Tuesday:
ALTA 7, SKYLINE 4: The Hawks advanced to the finals of the winner's bracket and will face Taylorsville on Thursday at 4:30 on Lindquist Field in Ogden. Scott Crow struck out five and gave up four runs in five innings to get the win. Brett Adams blasted a two-run homer over the right-center-field wall in the second inning, and Phil Peterson hit a two-run double in the fifth. Adams also picked up the save on the mound. Skyline plays Riverton at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the losers bracket.
BINGHAM 7, NORTHRIDGE 6: The Miners used a three-run fifth inning to come from behind to beat the Knights. They tied the game when Zach Druce laid down a bunt on a squeeze play to score Jeff Farnsworth, and took the lead when Jonathon Cluff scored on a passed ball. Druce had two RBIs, while Cluff also knocked in a pair and scored twice to help lead Bingham. Bingham will play Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in its bid to repeat as state champions. Northridge, with its second loss, is eliminated.
RIVERTON 11, KEARNS 4:Tyler Molder pitched 4 2/3 innings of solid baseball, giving up only two runs, but it was Brock Nordberg who pitched only one-third inning to get the win. The Riverton offense exploded in the fifth and sixth innings. Tyler Schick continued his amazing hitting in the tournament as he went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and five RBIs. Five other Silverwolves knocked in runs. Riverton continues its 5A tournament at 4 p.m. Wednesday against Skyline; Kearns ends the season with a record of 11-14.
E-mail: mblack@desnews.com