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Tintic baseball coach Scott Haney (center) addresses his team after a victory against Wayne on Tuesday in Eureka.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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Tintic baseball coach Scott Haney (right) and Wayne's Jeremy Burningham pose for a photo before a start of a game between the two 1A squads on Tuesday, August 25, in Eureka.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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View from the Tintic baseball field shows the extent of the Iron Fire burn score and how close it came to both the field and town of Eureka.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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The Iron Fire burn scar came within a few feet of the third base dugout and bleachers of the Tintic High School baseball field.

Brian E. Preece, Special to the Herald

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Every baseball game — or other sporting event for that matter — at Tintic High School this year is steeped in gratitude and the proper perspective of just where high school sports fits in the grand scheme of things.

Tintic High School is located at the far east side of the town of Eureka, a municipality of around 600 residents some 20 miles west of Santaquin. Without the heroic efforts of fire fighters the town might have been completely overrun by the Iron Fire, which started on June 19 and grew to nearly 43,000 total acres. All residents of Eureka were forced to evacuate two different times for nearly a week total. There was certainly a lot of anxiety on exactly what would remain standing when they returned.

One can’t drive through Eureka without missing the burn scar that runs west to east the entirety of the north end of town. The hills above the town are blackened and residents now prepare for any type of flood or mudslide that often comes after a fire on steeper mountain terrain.

Some out structures and livestock were lost in the blaze but thankfully all the homes in Eureka were saved. Still, it was a close call as flames reached mere feet from many residences and even the third base dugout of the baseball field.

Tintic starting pitcher and senior Kelan Bigler, who led his team to a stirring 10-9 win over Wayne on Tuesday, lives on the north side of Highway 6 that cuts through the town.

“It (the fire) definitely makes you more grateful for what you have,” Bigler said. “It was just yards from my house.”

Bigler also expressed some melancholy about what happened to the landscape.

“It’s obviously sad to see (the burn scar). It’s never really going to grow back the time you’re here. It still has some beauty. There are some trees left.”

Bigler did point out one small benefit of the burn scar with the way the baseball field is generally oriented where the defensive players face northwest looking right into it.

“It makes it easier to see the ball so I guess it does have its ups and downs,” he said.

Tintic head coach Scott Haney had very successful stints at Payson and Salem Hills, leading the latter to a state title in 2013. He said the fire also brought focus on the more important things in life.

“The fire came right to the base of the field and down in town it came within five feet of people’s back fence,” Haney said. “And our kids had to evacuate twice. We were working out in the summer and doing open fields and you evacuate twice, so it does put things in perspective. Baseball is just fun. Life can be crazy and interesting.”

High school athletics and other extracurricular activities often provide a hub for the community to come together. Nearly a hundred fans gathered to watch Tuesday’s game against Wayne, with quite a few making the venture from Wayne County to support the Badger baseball program.

They were treated to a thrilling contest won by the home team in the late innings.

The game ended on a bang-bang play at the plate when Wayne’s Teegan Flanagan was gunned down by Tintic shortstop Camden Johnson. Flanagan had driven the ball to the right field fence and the relay was initially mishandled before Johnson secured it and threw a strike to catcher Gavin Bratt for the tag.

“What was interesting was it was a double cut (cut-off) and he’s (Johnson) late getting to it,” Haney said, describing the turn of events that prevented Wayne from tying the game. “Otherwise they wouldn’t have went (stopping at third base) probably, but he gets it late and makes a beautiful throw for the out.”

That play upstaged another great relay the previous play when centerfielder Tristan Terry gunned down another Badger runner trying to stretch a single into a double.

Johnson, the Miner leadoff hitter, had a stellar overall game with three hits and two runs scored. Emmit Despain scored two runs and batted in two. Hayze Mason won the game on the mound, pitching the last two innings while also collecting two hits and an RBI.

Though Bigler was chased after four innings, he helped his cause at the plate with an RBI single and turned a critical double play at third base that ended a Badger threat in the sixth inning.

Tintic overcame four errors in the field, coughing up an 8-3 lead after three innings. Wayne tied up the game in the top of the sixth inning but the Miners scored two in the bottom of the frame. Braylon Jones cracked a double bringing in Johnson who singled before him. Then Bigler singled in Jones which provided an insurance run that proved critical.

Tintic improved to 6-2 on its season with the victory while Wayne fell to 9-3.

Coaching Connections

Wayne head coach Jeremy Burningham and Haney have a history. Burningham played for Provo High School when Haney was the head coach at Payson. Burningham also played for Haney on an all-star team that traveled to California. Burningham placed a phone call to Haney to ask for advice when he became the head coach at Wayne, having no idea that Haney would later take the Tintic job.

“Scott’s one of my mentors that I grew up with,” Burningham said. “When I was at Provo and he was at Payson, I just loved his coaching style. I just love what he brought to the youth. I just thought he was a good mentor based on how he developed Payson and how he developed Salem Hills when he went to Salem Hills.”

When Burningham was a senior he pitched three times against Payson in the 2002 season, winning all three times. In the state tournament Burningham took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a hit as Provo did manage to win 2-1 and eliminate Payson. Provo would then go on to finish third in that 4A state tournament.

“Jeremy is a good guy,” Haney said. “For our kids, that win is huge. Because, they’re 9-2 (now 9-3) and we haven’t beaten those south schools yet, so that was fun.”

Tintic and Wayne will meet again at least one more time with Wayne hosting. But Haney and Tintic won Round 1 in what could develop into a nice rivalry between two head coaches with Utah County ties now leading 1A programs enjoying a lot of success.