The highest level of baseball has its own Fall Classic. 

According to Bingham head coach Beau Stoker, the Miners do, too. 

“We started the Santistevan Classic as a way for our players to compete with one another while remembering the roots of our program,” Stoker said, who is entering his second year. “This was our second year playing the series, and these games turned out to be the most competitive contest we played all fall.” 

Bingham’s coach wasn’t kidding. 

From the outset of Game 1, you could sense that both teams wanted it. Deadlocked at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning between the Miners Blue team and the BHS White squad, it was Sam McDonald who slapped in a sac fly for the White to give his crew a 5-4 victory. 

In game two, the Blues got their get-back on the Whites, but needed a walkoff on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 10-9 win. 

Bingham’s Blue team had another opportunity to take advantage in game three. 

With the game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the seventh and Porter Larsen at the plate, the Miner launched a ball that was caught by the White team but scored a run to hand the Blues an 8-7 victory. 

Needing a win to even this Santistevan Classic at two apiece and end it in the name of sportsmanship—and perhaps a little inclement weather settling in—the Blues and Whites took to the field at Bingham High on Oct. 17 to wrap up the four-week series. 

To play from a period of time when 90-plus degree temps ruled to when colder temperatures in the 40s were settling in was a tough ask for the Miners. 

Like their predecessors that played Bingham baseball for decades, these boys answered the call, providing four competitive games in all types of weather. 

Game 4 was no different, and so the Whites evened up the series at two with a 5-3 win. 

Series standouts for the White team in terms of hitting were Porter Larsen, who went 8-for-12 at the plate and had three RBI and Paxton Larsen, who was 9-for-13 and also had three RBI. 

Standouts for the Blue team at the plate were Luke Pearson, who went 5-for-13 and had a double, along with Crew Dredge, who was 5-of-12 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI. 

Notables on the mound included Kaden Hansen, who pitched five innings for the Whites, allowing five and striking out three. For the Blues, Jensen Harrington gave up 11 hits in five innings and fanned six batters. 

For this Bingham baseball program, the second annual Santistevan Classic was a continuation of the work they’ve put in, effort that led to an 18-12 record and a berth in last year’s 6A state tournament. 

For Stoker, he said he was pleased with how the Miners competed, week in and week out, for four weeks. 

“The boys want to win, and they play as hard as possible,” Stoker said. “Our coaching staff is proud of the way the boys competed and we're excited to continue to work through the winter in the build-up to the spring season.”