SOUTH JORDAN — Coming off a first round victory where her team looked tight and nervous, Bingham softball coach Mikki Jackson told her squad they had to loosen up for Thursday's second round game against Pleasant Grove.

As a result, the Miners came into the matchup relaxed and composed, and maintained that composure through a back and forth affair, prevailing 5-3 over the Vikings to advance in the winners' bracket.

"Tuesday they were a little tight, and as they were trying to loosen up, you could tell it was forced," Jackson said. "We told them we can't change things just because state comes in front of the game. You have to keep that loose personality. If they're tight, it creates problems."

Bingham came out loose and was able to maintain its composure even after squandering a three-run lead. Though Miner starter Cienna Smith had stymied the Viking bats through three innings, two hard shots to center field changed that quickly. First it was Pleasant Grove's Regan Weber who smacked a solo homer straight over the center field fence, sending Bingham center fielder Chalese Fankhauser crashing through the makeshift fence. Two batters later, Viking pitcher Angie Mikalauski sent a two-run dinger over the fence in the same spot, knotting the game up at 3-3.

"When you're holding a lead, and then things change on you, a lot of times that can rattle you," Jackson said of the sudden momentum shift. "But I don't feel like it altered their path at all. I feel like they just got a little more concentrated on their strike zones and movements and things. I felt like they held their composure until those runs came back."

Jackson sent in relief pitcher Tori Almond, who quickly retired the side and silenced the Viking bats for the remainder of the game.

"It's hard to get pulled in suddenly in a game like that, but I felt like she came in and took command," Jackson said. "Whenever Tori comes in, she's got reputation and she's got height. You get that 6-1 frame, and that's a dominating appearance coming at you. She does have an ability to come in and change that tone quickly."

In the bottom of the fifth, Bingham stole the lead back by taking advantage of consecutive wild pitches, with runners scoring each time. The 5-3 lead proved to be enough, as Almond struck out four batters over the next two innings to clinch the victory.

Bingham moves on to face the winner of Thursday's Lehi-Syracuse game on Tuesday evening, while Pleasant Grove will face the winner of Hunter-Brighton on Tuesday afternoon.