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South Jordan • Maybe Bingham junior Nicole Wall doesn't consider herself a strikeout pitcher, but she got a bunch of them when needed on Thursday.

With the Miners' lefty fanning 12 Taylorsville batters, Bingham's softball team stayed unbeaten in Region 3 with a 5-2 victory.

The game took place two days after Taylorsville scored 16 runs in an extra-inning loss to Copper Hills.

"I had heard that, and I know Copper Hills is a great team," Wall said. "We were looking forward to this game to see what we could do as a team."

The visiting Warriors did reach Bingham for five hits, but Wall was at her best in using the strikeout to get out of jams.

In the top of the sixth, for instance, a double by Cierra Sanger scored Maddie Ford, who had reached on a double. But Wall, with runners at second and third with one out, got her 11th strikout of the game. She then walked another batter, but ended the bases-loaded situation with another strikeout.

"I came out pretty strong and this is a tough team. I was excited to play them, so the focus was throwing hard, using all my body and get my spins tight," Wall said.

Bingham (9-5, 4-0) got a pair of runs in the bottom of the first after Wall retired Taylorsville in order to start the game. Jaydan Jensen singled past second base for the first run, scoring Kenadee Moore — who was hit by a pitch to begin the frame. The second Miners' run crossed on a passed ball as Taylorsville's battery struggled the first three innings with runners on base.

In Bingham's three-run rally in the third, the Miners got a single from Brynn Roberts and a run-scoring double by McKenzie Dorney. But a hit batsman, one walk, an error, a wild pitch and three passed balls by Taylorsville (5-8, 2-2) contributed mightily.

Warriors' coach Rich Kaelin noted that his 6-foot-2 sophomore pitcher, Finau Tonga, settled down in her last three innings and held the Miners hitless.

"Three of their five runs were a bad throw and two passed balls," Kaelin said. "But we fixed something, we worked with her and I'm feeling like we've gotten over a hump. She's only a sophomore and has had a bad back, so she hasn't been able to pitch for awhile."

Bingham coach Mikki Jackson likewise felt her team was on the right track. After giving up a total of 20 runs in consecutive losses to Herriman and Bear River, the Miners have won three in a row.

"I think we've been working on getting back to basics, smoothing out some confidence and movement things," Jackson said. "I think the kids have been working hard for region and I think those games help us." —

Storylines

• Bingham junior pitcher Nicole Wall struck out 12 in the victory.

• The Miners got two runs in the first and three more in the third to open a four-run lead, but were held hitless in the final three frames by Taylorsville pitcher Finau Tonga.

• The Warriors had scored 16 runs only two days before against Copper Hills.