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(Taylorsville) - Copper Hills held off a 7th inning rally to defeat Bingham 4-3 and claim their first softball state championship.
"Any state title at Copper Hills means a lot," says head coach Jentry Jo Johnson. "Going from gut-wrenching nerves to the most exhilarating feeling I've ever felt in my whole life I can't even explain it."
Bingham cut Copper Hills lead to one in the 7th inning when Emily Lewis doubled bringing in Paige Reimann.
They had runners at 2nd and 3rd with one out when Copper Hills pitcher Rashelle North caught a comebacker and then doubled up the runner on 2nd ending the game and setting off a championship celebration.
"When I caught that ball and just threw it to second I didn't even think," says North. "I knew what I was doing and I just threw it. Then I realized I just won a state championship."
Copper Hills scored first when Ashlee Anderson hit a double that drove in a run in the first inning.
Bingham would take the lead in the 3rd inning starting with an RBI single by Chelsea Latu. Taylor Clemons drove in another run giving the Miners a 3-2 lead.
That lead held up until the 5th inning when Bingham committed a crucial error. A routine ground ball to the pitcher with two outs was thrown over the first baseman's head allowing two Copper Hills runs to score.
Anderson would strike again moments later driving a pitch deep deep into the gap in left for an RBI double a 4-2 lead.
North came on in relief and gets the win for Copper Hills a moment of pride for a school hungry for a state championship.
"We love Copper Hills and we play for Copper Hills," North says. "I love Copper Hills."
