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OREM — Bingham was one of the best front-running teams in the state during the 2011 season. Thanks to an outstanding pitching staff and a solid defense, the slimmest of Miner leads were usually too much for opponents to overcome.
But in order to capture the 5A state baseball championship, the Miners had to leave their comfort zone. They had to rally from a four-run deficit to defeat American Fork 10-6 in the 5A state championship game on Friday afternoon, and they found their ability to overcome adversity to be strangely sweet.
"Coming back for sure (made the title win sweeter)," said Bingham leftfielder Kobin Courtney. "So many people thought we were going to get it. I mean we came in almost thinking that. We came back. It wasn't handed to us at all. We had to go get it."
The Miners had to go get it after the Cavemen stunningly went up 6-2 during a six-run fourth inning. Bingham starter Stefan Cantwell started to wear down in the fourth and couldn't get the ball down for strikes. He was replaced by staff ace Mason Marshall, who gave up a grand slam to Danny Beddes, the third batter he faced.
American Fork had all the game's momentum at the time, but Marshall found his groove and the Miners broke out their bats. An RBI single by Bryson Benton made it 6-3, and Cantwell redeemed himself with a two-run home run to make it a one-run game in the fifth.
Cantwell's blast was a momentum changer, and after he went deep it just seemed to be a matter of time before the Miners recaptured the lead. No one was surprised to see Cantwell ignite the comeback, as he's been providing clutch plays for the Miners all year.
"We didn't want to say it, but we were all thinking 'he's going deep,'" Courtney said. "He's an athlete. He's one of the biggest athletes to come through here."
Courtney, a three-sport athlete, would get his chance to shine as well. He provided Bingham with its go-ahead runs in the sixth with a two-run double. The Miners then got insurance runs from an RBI fielders' choice from Cantwell and an RBI double by Connor Williams.
"Kobin is a stud," said Marshall. "He always comes through with a big hit or a perfect drag bunt. He's a three-sport athlete at our school, and he dominates in golf and basketball. He's always coming through."
"Everybody on our team had confidence he was going to come through in that situation," Bingham coach Joey Sato said of Courtney. "He's done that all year long."
The Miners were better than everyone else in 5A all year long because of their pitching. No other team had a trio of quality starters to compare to Marshall, Cantwell and Brady Lail. All three contributed against the Cavemen, as Lail pitched the seventh to put it away.
Marshall, despite throwing a complete game against American Fork on Thursday, wanted to throw again on Friday no matter what.
"We got to the clubhouse today and he said, 'Coach, I'm closing. You're going to have to fight me not to. I'm just going to run out there in the seventh,'" said Sato. "We needed him a little bit earlier today. He's just that kind of kid."
It was Bingham's first state title in eight years, and their 20th overall. The Miners have now won state baseball championships in eight different decades. Bingham finished the season 27-3 and won its last 14 games.
It was the third state title for Sato, who was emotional after the game. He found it particularly satisfying that his kids — the favorites to win the 5A championship for much of the season — fought back from adversity in the state title game.
"Your kids are special, and every year at this time it's hard to see them go," said Sato. "They fought. There is great chemistry in the group. That's what carried us through in a tight game like this. They just believed in each other, had faith in each other, and trusted each other."
All-tournament team
MVP: Mason Marshall, Bingham
Stefan Cantwell, Bingham
Brady Lail, Bingham
Kobin Courtney, Bingham
Danny Beddes, American Fork
Zac Willis, American Fork
Brennon Anderson, Jordan
Brady Gonzales, Jordan
Dane Petersen, Lone Peak
Tyler West, Cottonwood
Email: aaragon@desnews.com
