By Josh McFadden | [email protected]

In Region 4 play, no one could touch the Bingham High School softball team. Things got a little more challenging at state.

The Miners boasted an undefeated 12-0 mark in Region 4, beating out second-place Pleasant Grove by three games. The way the Class 6A state tournament started out, it looked as though the Miners might get through the postseason unscathed.

Back-to-back opponents had other ideas.

After defeating Syracuse 5-4 in the quarterfinals on May 22, Bingham fell to Herriman 8-2 on May 23. Herriman’s big break came in the fifth inning when it took a slim 3-2 lead and pushed it to 7-2 with four runs. Herriman added another run in the sixth inning while keeping the Miners at bay.

Thanks to the double-elimination format of the state softball tournament, the Miners stayed alive and faced Syracuse the following day. At that point, Bingham players knew they had to win to continue their season. Syracuse had other ideas, however, quickly building a 4-0 lead in the second inning. Bingham held Syracuse scoreless the rest of the way but could only manage one run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth in a tight 4-3 defeat. The Miners lost despite a brilliant game from Kenadee Moore, who smacked three home runs. It was three times as many as the senior had hit entering the contest.

Despite the earlier-than-hoped exit from state, Bingham accomplished much this season. In putting together an unblemished mark in league play, the Miners surrendered just eight while scoring an impressive 149. In all of its games this past season in putting together a 17-8 mark, Bingham gave up a mere 55 runs, just over two a game. The total was by the far the fewest in Class 6A and the least amount in the entire state. Bingham posted seven shutouts on the year and allowed more than four runs just four times.

Seven seniors on the varsity roster graduated this past season, including Moore, Jaydan Jensen and pitcher Nicole Wall, who went 10-4 on the mound and hit five doubles. The Miners are excited to bring back Aubree Hogan, who will be a junior next season. She led the team with six home runs during the 2018 campaign and also hit a team-high seven triples. Sidnee Hogan will only be a sophomore. She hit five doubles, two triples and a home run.