High school softball: Bingham gets do-over from last year after identical result in Game 1 of title series

Much felt familiar in No. 7 Bingham’s 3-1 win over No. 1 Riverton Thursday at BYU in Game 1 of the best-of-three 6A softball title series.

That was the exact same score between the pair of Region 2 teams when the Miners won the initial contest of last year’s championship series.

“Very pleased with (our) composure,” longtime Bingham head coach Mikki Jackson said Thursday. “(There were) a lot of tough situations and (we did not let) anything affect just what had to be done.”

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The Miners never trailed Thursday, though one of those tough situations came in the fifth inning when momentum shifted to the Silverwolves on a solo home run from Riverton junior outfielder Peyton Sanchez.

After Sanchez’s blast though, Bingham senior pitcher Brecka Larson did not give up another hit, helping the Miners hold on for the two-run victory.

“There were some times when things didn’t go her way and she just came back with a good pitch on the next pitch and kept executing her game plan,” Jackson said of Larson.

At the plate, Bingham senior outfielder Brooklyn Fogg accounted for all three of the Miners’ runs, getting an RBI single in the second inning before hitting an inside the park home run on a poorly played ball hit to left field in the fourth.

“That kid has just been working and working and working, from just being a bunter to slapping,” Jackson said of Fogg. “Now the whole package is there, and to see her get to put that all together in a state championship game is pretty sweet.”

Playing in the same region and even together in the summer, there is a lot of familiarity and crossover between the two teams, adding another layer to the state championship series.

“You certainly want to win,” Jackson said, “but you also enjoy watching these girls grow together and have fun and compete and then turn around and enjoy each other’s company.”

Riverton won the teams’ two regular season contests each by three runs, making Bingham’s Thursday victory over the Silverwolves snap a four-game skid to its familiar foe.

The two schools have dominated 6A for the last half decade, combining to win the last four state championships, with Riverton winning three to Bingham’s one.

Thursday marked the third time in the last five seasons, and the second year in a row, that the two schools have played for the 6A state title.

After losing the initial game of last year’s series, the Silverwolves outscored Bingham by a combined 19 runs in the next two contests to cruise to the state championship.

“We’re all aware how last year (ended),” Jackson said when asked if it remains on her team’s mind, “but our focus, especially the last few weeks, is next moment.

“What’s gone on in the past we have no control over. We can learn from anything we’ve done, and then we just build and expect good things in our next moment.”

The Miners certainly made the most of their moment Thursday, inching within one win of a state title, and the two sides will line things up again Friday for Game 2 of their title series.

First pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. with a second game beginning at 4:30 p.m. if necessary.