Orem • His arm was sore, and his coaches weren't even sure he should pitch after his last start.
But Panguitch ace Dalan Bennett wasn't going to be held out of the biggest game of the year. And Tuesday, aching arm and all, the junior delivered when the Bobcats needed him most.
"I'm a little bit sore," he said after the game, smiling and maybe even wincing a bit. "I knew I had the best defense I could ask for. I knew that they would take care of it."
Behind seven innings of solid pitching by Bennett and a hot-hitting lineup, Panguitch knocked off rival and defending champion Wayne 10-1 in the Class 1A baseball title game at Utah Valley University. The Bobcats looked confident going against the team that beat them in last year's final.
Coming off no rest from Monday's victory over West Ridge Academy, Bennett held the Badgers hitless through five innings. He and the cool-headed Panguitch defense allowed only one run, despite Wayne loading the bases twice.
"We felt like we committed enough errors yesterday for a season," coach Clint Barney said. "We went out to Mountain View High School this morning, and we got the jitters out, I guess. We looked a lot more relaxed today."
By contrast, the Badgers seemed flustered all afternoon.
Wayne committed six errors in the game. Randy Ellett, star of last year's championship team, struggled from the mound, giving up 14 hits. The backbreaker was the fifth inning, in which the entire lineup got an at-bat and the team scored five runs.
Leading the offensive effort for Panguitch was third baseman Tyler Brinkerhoff, who batted 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. The senior said his team had confidence despite two losses to Wayne earlier in the year.
"It's revenge, baby — we wanted to show we could win the big one," Brinkerhoff said. "Winning state your senior year is the best feeling in the world." —
1A championship Panguitch 10, Wayne 1
R Panguitch notches 14 hits against Wayne pitcher Randy Ellett.
• Pitcher Dalan Bennett allows only four hits and one run on no rest.
• The Badgers' defense commits six costly errors in the game.
