6A softball: Riverton battles again twice to win third title in 4 years

PROVO — After combining for 20 runs on 20 hits in a Recreation 2 slugfest, Friday’s winner-take-all finale of the 6A softball championship collection was a pitchers’ duel.

Till all of the sudden, it wasn’t.

Braylee Shields went 2-for-3 with a three-run dwelling run throughout a five-run fifth inning as Riverton pulled away from area rival Bingham 12-3 within the third sport of the 6A championship Friday night time at BYU’s Gail Miller Subject.

“I really feel like that was the (inning) that acquired us going,” mentioned Shields, who hit a no-doubter with the ultimate swing of her senior season. “I am simply so proud. I’ve no phrases.”

Brooke Tacke went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI for Riverton (27-5), who received the laborious method by beating the defending champion Miners twice in sooner or later after Bingham’s win Thursday night.

“This group by no means offers up,” Shields mentioned. “From the very starting, we have by no means given up. We have pushed by each single inning as a group, and we’ve every others’ backs.”

It is the third title in 4 years for the Silverwolves, however the first for head coach Whitley Haimin since taking up for former coach Katelyn Elliott Jenson.

Not that she took any of the credit score from a roster led by six seniors.

“These are phenomenal children,” she mentioned. “They’re such good people; clearly they’re fairly badass softball gamers, but in addition phenomenal college students and athletes. Simply nice people. They do effectively within the classroom, and so they’re good, real individuals. I am pleased with them for working their butts off since day one once I got here in and so they advised me what they wished to do.”

After Riverton out-slugged the Miners 15-5 with 15 hits to even the championship collection, the Silverwolves introduced their gloves to a stick combat in Recreation 3, when each groups mixed for simply 4 hits by the primary 4 innings.

However Riverton’s Peyton Sanchez stroked a two-out double to the center-field fence within the prime of the fifth earlier than the Silverwolves loaded the bases and Camryn O’Farrell drove in two runs with a single to brief proper that she stretched right into a second on a throwing error.

“Peyton Sanchez carried us all 12 months lengthy,” Haimin mentioned of her sophomore pitcher who earned the win permitting three hits with 4 strikeouts and a stroll in 6.1 innings. “She continued to work each single day, and I really feel like she acquired higher all through the season. Her and Brooke Tacke labored so effectively collectively … and he or she helped Peyt have that confidence, in addition to an outstanding offense and a terrific protection.”

On the subsequent at-bat, Shields fired a no-doubt dwelling run over middle discipline — the primary within the Large 12 ballpark by each 5A and 6A championship collection — for a three-run shot that propelled Riverton to a 5-0 benefit.

An offense that by no means struggled within the second sport however was stagnating within the third had new life.

“I really feel like we had a option to seize the momentum, and as a complete, we took that and by no means gave up,” Shields mentioned. “We simply saved selecting away and plugging into one another.”

Brenna Cowley pulled one again for Bingham (23-6) with a two-out RBI triple within the backside of the inning, then got here dwelling on Brooklyn Fogg’s hole single. However Riverton scored seven runs down the stretch, and Sanchez saved the Miners off the board the remainder of the best way to lock down the title.

The win is the third state title in 4 years for Riverton, however the first underneath Haimin.

It is also the fourth straight championship for Area 2 when mixed with Bingham’s championship run final 12 months — and sixth consecutive for a group from Area 2 since Herriman’s first championship in 2018 (however the canceled 2020 match as a result of COVID-19 pandemic).

Haimin is aware of effectively the worth of the South Jordan/Herriman/Riverton space in softball, and the custom of the Silverwolves. It is her alma mater, in any case — in addition to that of her complete teaching employees.

“I believe we had one of many hardest schedules in 6A, and that is what ready us for immediately and this complete final couple of weeks,” Haimin mentioned. “We have been within the clench, in tight conditions, taking part in phenomenal groups in our area. I believe it really works to our benefit. It is cool to have a complete teaching employees of alumni; our pack runs deep. Now we have so many individuals who’ve performed part of our program.”

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Recreation 2: Sanchez’s bat helps Silverwolves outslug Miners

Sanchez belted a two-run double, and Riverton pounded out 15 hits to overwhelm Bingham 16-5 in 5 innings to pressure a winner-take-all third sport.

Riverton scored 5 runs within the first two innings, together with Braylee Shields’ two-run double down the left-field line throughout a three-run second en path to the Silverwolves’ 5-1 lead early.

Gracelyn Lemke practically pulled again the deficit with one swing of the bat, a three-run triple to the right-field wall throughout a four-run third that left the 2 area rivals tied.

O’Farrell, Jaydan Bushman and Lily Heitz every had an RBI double throughout a four-run fourth to take a commanding 9-5 lead with three frames to go earlier than the Silverwolves closed the door with a seven-run fifth.