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Orem • Syracuse won the Region 1 title and came into its game against Bingham as the state's hottest team, having won nine straight games.
But the Titans met the streak stopper Tuesday afternoon — Bingham pitcher Chase Tavonatti.
Tavonatti sent Syracuse into the losers bracket with a six-hitter in Bingham's 5-2 win in a Class 5A winners bracket semifinal at Utah Valley University.
"He's been really good ever since his first preseason outing," Bingham coach Joey Sato said about Tavonatti. "We're just happy as heck for him. That team we beat has been on a hot streak. They won their league, and their pitcher Jason Jourdan has been tough against us now for two years. So we knew what we were facing coming in."
Bingham scored two runs in the fourth to take the lead when Austin Florez led off the inning with a single and Coleman Stout walked. After Jourdan got the Miners to hit a pair of lazy fly balls, T.J. Bowcutt singled through the right side to score two runs.
The Miners added another run in the sixth when Jourdan issued a leadoff walk to Stout. He eventually would score on a squeeze bunt by Bowcott.
Bingham padded its lead in the seventh. Braxton McKee singled and Jacob Druce walked. Florez followed with a double that scored one run. Harrison then hit a sacrifice fly to give the Miners a 5-0 lead.
Syracuse rallied in the bottom of the seventh to spoil Tavonatti's shutout thanks to a two-run single by Jake Groberg with two outs, but Tavonatti responded with a strikeout to end the game.
"The whole game I was looking up and there were zeros on the board," Tavonatti said. "In that last inning, I had to toughen up when they got some runners on. I wanted the shutout, but I wanted to win more." —
Class 5A state tournament
At Utah Valley University
Winners bracket
Thursday
11 a.m. • Bingham vs. Riverton
Losers bracket
Wednesday
1:30 p.m. • Syracuse vs. Cottonwood
4 p.m. • Layton vs. American Fork