Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Bear River clinched its 12th state softball title, defeating Desert Hills 3-2.
- Marley Tisdol's game-winning hit in extra innings secured the championship for Bear River.
- Coach Jordan Theurer praised the community's support and credited seniors for the victory.
PROVO — Bear River's first win of the 4A championship series resembled a sprint Thursday, but the decisive moment turned into a marathoner.
Different means, same result.
Marley Tisdol plated Aubree Fry from third with the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Bears survived Desert Hills 3-2 in the third game of the championship series Friday at BYU.
It's the 12th state title in program history for Bear River, the most since the Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned the sport in 1990.
With everything on the line and an international tiebreaker to sort out after seven innings tied at two runs apiece, Bear River coach Jordan Theurer couldn't think of a better player to start in scoring position than her 5-foot-7 senior outfielder playing in the second championship series of her career since 2023.
"Aubs is our girl," Theurer said of Fry. "She'll forever be our center fielder, and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else (to start on) second base at that moment."
After Kendyl Archibald ended the top half of the eighth with a sliding catch in right field, it was Fry's turn to shine.
The senior moved from second to third on Sami Theurer's sacrifice bunt to open the eighth. After a pair of intentional walks by the Thunder, Tisdol then came to the plate and swung for the fences. With one out, her hit fell short — but left Fry with plenty of time to navigate the 60 feet at Gail Miller Field for the Bears' third state title in five years.
"I was so excited. I was excited for Marley, the sophomore who had the hit," said Fry, who had one hit and a walk in two games before scoring the game-winning run. "I was just excited for our team. It felt amazing."
Kate Wilson had four strikeouts for the Bears (33-3), who gave up eight hits but allowed just two runs in the third game.
That included Desert Hills pitcher Lulu West's fourth-inning RBI that plated Sierra Dennison to tie the game at 2-2. Luci Roche added a double, a walk and a runs cored for the Bears, who had just four hits in the third game of the series — all in the first four innings.
But defensive plays from the likes of Archibald, Tisdol and middle infielders Roche and Theurer helped strand 14 Desert Hills runners, sending the Bears home to await the celebratory fire truck, ambulance or whatever miniature parade awaits them from a community that supports its softball program like few others.
"We are blessed to have such a great community who supports our softball program," Fry said. "They donate lots of money, and they support us in so many ways. To be able to keep up that culture of softball is amazing, and we love it."
Two years after sending legendary Bear River coach Calvin Bingham into retirement with his 11th state title, Jordan Theurer — who played for Bingham before moving on to Southern Utah and returning home — has one of her own.
"The community of Bear River is unmatched," said Theurer, who improved to 51-13 in two years coaching her alma mater. "The love that the community has for softball is insane, and you could see it today with all of her fans.
"When I got this job, I was scared to death; how do you follow in the footsteps of the legend Calvin Bingham? He coached me, and he's an amazing man and an amazing coach; I felt like I had really big shoes to fill. But this year was led by these seniors, and they deserve all that credit."
Riley Greene went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and two walks in the third game for Desert Hills (32-4).
Game 2: West helps Thunder force Game 3 from plate, circle
At BYU, winning pitcher Lulu West didn't just help Desert Hills force a winner-take-all game three from the circle earlier Friday.
The junior pitcher had a hand at the plate, too.
West spun a two-hitter with five strikeouts as the Thunder pulled past Bear River, 3-1 in the second game of the series.
She also rocketed a shot into right field that skipped over the diving glove. After barely looking up, West rounded second base, headed for third, and finished off the inside-the-park home run with some assistance in the top of the top of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
Desert Hills struck first when Bailey Lee drove in courtesy runner Sienna Foster with a base hit to right field in the top of the third. But Bear River scored in the bottom of the frame with an unearned run off Kendyl Archibald to tie the game at 1-1.
That brought up West's go-ahead run. Two batters later, Greene sprinted home from third on a sacrifice fly by Lee to give Desert Hills an insurance run and a two-run fifth.
Kate Wilson had 11 strikeouts for the Bears, who gave up seven hits in the second game.
