An action packed, busy week of baseball left the Viewmont Vikings close to state championship. Viewmont got to the semifinal round of the double-elimination tournament, only to come up just short of advancing for the chance to play for the class 5A title. 

The team that ultimately eliminated Viewmont was Lehi, a school that the Vikings had already played twice in the prior three days. 

On May 25, Viewmont fell to Lehi 8-3, giving the Pioneers the right to play for the state title (which they lost in a three-game series against Timpanogos). The Vikings, meanwhile, finished their season with a 24-7 record. 

In the season-ending defeat, it was the fifth inning that spelled doom for Viewmont. The Vikings were up 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, after having scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning. The onslaught from Lehi proved to be too much. Both teams scored a run in the sixth, but scoreless seventh inning from Viewmont ended the game and the 2023 campaign for the Vikings. 

Max Lee had a double and three RBI for Viewmont. Braxton Brenenstall also had a double, while Cal Miller had three strikeouts. Viewmont had eight hits to Lehi’s nine. Even had Viewmont won, it would have needed to defeat the Pioneers once again to advance. 

Viewmont arrived at this point with a victory over the same Lehi team the previous day, May 24. In that contest, Viewmont outhit Lehi 10-5 and clinched the victory with a clutch six-run performance in the seventh inning. Luke Jacobs had a triple in the win. Logan Skidmore, Siona Faeamani and Teagan Burnside each had a double and two RBI. 

Earlier in that day, Viewmont staved off elimination with a 6-3 win over Region 5 foe and tournament surprise Woods Cross. Viewmont had gone up 6-1 after three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Woods Cross made a rally, picking up a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. But that was as close as the Wildcats could get, as Viewmont held on. 

The victory advanced the Vikings but halted the Wildcats’ postseason run. Woods Cross finished the year with a winning record, a 17-16 mark. Brenenstall had an RBI and was the winning pitcher for Viewmont. Miller had a double and a triple. Jacobs had a double and an RBI. For Woods Cross, Beckham Stanger had four strikeouts, and Alexander Holdstock had an RBI. 

Nineteen Vikings players on this year’s roster were juniors, sophomores or freshmen, meaning plenty of experienced players will be back next season. For Woods Cross, a whopping 30 underclassmen will be back, as the team is losing just four seniors.