Region rivals Riverton and Bingham matched up four times in 2021, playing to the same result each time: a Silverwolves’ victory.
No. 1 Riverton’s final victory over No. 2 Bingham came Friday in the biggest game of the season, as the Silverwolves knocked off the Miners for the second day in a row, this time by a score of 4-3, to take home the 6A state softball championship.
In Games 1 and 2 of a best-of-three final series, the top seed bested the second seed by one run, just as it had done in the teams’ last regular season meeting.
“It feels amazing. One of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced. These girls are such a team.” — Riverton coach Katelyn Elliott
Riverton was the only team to defeat Bingham this year.
“It feels amazing. One of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced,” Silverwolves coach Katelyn Elliott said of winning her second state title. “These girls are such a team. They encourage each other. They back each other up. If one is down, they are picking each other up constantly. They hang out together after the game. They’re hard workers. They’re everything a coach could ask for.”
Led by junior pitcher Kaysen Korth, Elliott’s team worked its way to a 4-0 lead by the end of the third inning on Friday. Korth pitched the first three innings to perfection, retiring all nine batters who came to the plate.
“My pitches were really on today. I was throwing harder than I have been in a while,” Korth said. “Everything seemed to be working. My team was doing amazing. No errors. Everyone was doing incredible.”
Riverton coupled good offense with its impressive first three innings in the field. Sophomore shortstop Jolie Mayfield homered for the second time in two days, bringing Korth home and giving the Silverwolves a 2-0 lead in the second.
Riverton added to its lead in the third when leadoff batter Lilly Heitz hit a solo home run over center field, extending the lead to three. A Chloe Borges walk sandwiched by a pair of singles put another run on the board for the Silverwolves.
Yet, Riverton had not heard the last of the Miners.
“Coming in as the No. 1 seed, you have a target on your back,” Elliott said. “Every team is going to bring their A-game to beat you. We’ve just stayed focused on the process and the outcome will figure itself out.”
Bingham brought its A-game in the fourth. The inning saw Korth’s perfect game spoiled on an Emily Dority single to left field, and Dority’s single was followed by a Silverwolves’ error, putting two Miners on base when Averi Hanny hit a deep bomb into right field, bringing Bingham back within striking distance.
Going into the final inning, Riverton’s one-run lead still held and Korth stayed calm as she made her way to the circle.
“Yesterday we were only up by one run, too, and I was pretty nervous. That’s why I got bases loaded,” the junior ace said in reference to Game 1. “This time I was a lot more confident in myself. I’ve been working on that, pitch by pitch, just focusing on what I can control. I was pretty confident today.”
Korth’s confidence paid off, as she picked up her 10th and 11th strikeouts of the day before a final groundout to second base sent the Silverwolves into a frenzied celebration.
Just a junior, Korth feels her team could repeat in 2022, although Bingham may have something to say about that.
“I think we can do it,” Korth said. “Our freshmen are all improving a ton. I think next year we’ll have a really good chance, and I can’t wait to get started on it.”
When asked what it took to take down the Miners four times in one year, Elliott said, “We talked a lot about the mental game. Throughout a seven-inning game, you’re going to have a lot of ups and downs. If you focus on the down, you’re never going to experience the up. I really tried to work with my team on moving to the next pitch so that you can get to the up.”
With the 6A championship trophy in hand, the Silverwolves have embraced their coach’s wisdom to “experience the up” and made it to the highest one of the year.