High school softball: Bingham offense explodes in late innings

SOUTH JORDAN — The Bingham Miners weren't able to heat up until the temperature dropped Thursday afternoon. As clouds and rain descended, Bingham broke open a scoreless game with 4 runs in the fifth and six innings to beat Viewmont 4-0 in the 5A softball playoffs.

All-world pitcher Tori Almond allowed only two hits and struck out 14 for the Lady Miners, who advance to the next round of the playoffs. The BYU-bound senior also went 3 for 3 at the plate with a key double in the deciding fifth.

"It took a while for us to get going, but we got some runs and I just had to hold them on defense," Almond said. "We just had to be patient because their pitcher was keeping us off balance."

Almond was locked in a tight duel with her Lady Vikes counterpart Megan Peay, who held Bingham to just one hit through four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, as rain began falling and the crowd reached for their jackets and sweatshirts, Jaden Mortensen reached on a base hit and went to third on Almond's double. Peay struck out the next two batters, but Olsen blasted a drive over the head of the Viewmont center field, scoring both runners.

"When I saw my teammates on base, I knew I had to score them," Olsen said. "I knew once I got in there I was going to do it."

After Almond struck out the side in the top of the sixth, Bingham struck again. With two outs, Lauren Johanson scored from first on a Mortensen double. Mortensen would later score on an Almond base hit. Mary Tess Tsakalos was brought on in relief of Peay and recorded the final out after a walk. At that point the damage was done, and Almond ended the game by striking out two of the three Lady Vikes she faced.

For Bingham head coach Mikki Jackson, it was a relief to see the Lady Miners' bats come alive. "The first few innings we just wanted somebody to give us something to work with," Jackson said. "But it's like sharks, once somebody draws a little blood the rest tend to follow. I just wish they would do it a little earlier, to take some of the pressure off."

Viewmont was able to move a runner past first base only twice, once when Heidi Jung's sacrifice bunt advanced Halie Randall, and again when Cina Cummings advanced on an error. Peay added five strikeouts and zero walks to a solid effort.

At Bingham, the march to a possible third straight state title continues.

"We need to keep playing like we're playing right now," Almond said. "If we just keep playing good defense and producing runs the job will do itself."