TAYLORSVILLE -- What are the odds of playing a team three times in a season and winning each game by an identical 8-1 score?
The undefeated Region 11 champion Bears pulled off a hat trick Saturday at the Valley Complex -- riding senior right-hander Josi "Outlaw" Summers' nifty three-hitter, pounding out 14 hits and capitalizing on six North Sanpete errors -- in sweeping their third consecutive state 3-A softball title and fifth in school history.
Summers, who rang up 12 strikeouts in Friday's victory over the Region 12 champion Hawks, fanned eight and walked three in Saturday's championship game.
She threw 100 pitches -- 34 balls and 66 strikes -- for Bear River, which became just the second school -- joining Tooele (2003-05) -- to win three straight 3-A titles since softball became a sanctioned sport in 1990.
"It's awesome and I'm not sure what else to say," said the 18-year-old Summers, who has signed with Utah Valley University. "The first time is always the best because you have never felt it before, but the last two (state 3-A titles) are just as good as the first."
The Bears (26-4 overall) closed out the season on a nine-game winning streak, and did not lose to a 3-A school this year. During Summers' three years as a starter -- she played sparingly as a freshman closer -- Bear River compiled a 69-15 record.
The Bears also defeated North Sanpete 8-1 on March 20 in the SUNROC Invitational at St. George.
Summers, who was roughed up for five runs on four hits in the fourth inning Friday during a 9-7 victory over Grantsville, remained composed Saturday.
The "Outlaw" pitched to 27 Hawks' batters, just six over the minimum.
"I think a lot of it was mental," Summers said. "I just decided to come here and go out with a bang. Grantsville got in my head a little bit Friday; they are a good hitting team. I thought, 'So what, next pitch.' I knew better what to throw this time."
Bear River, which scored a state 3-A leading 270 runs in 2010, scored at least a run in four of six innings against North Sanpete.
"It takes a lot of pressure off me in the (pitcher's) circle when the team scores a lot of runs," Summers said.
Josi's younger sister, 15-year-old Morgan, went 3-for-5 with a run batting in the leadoff spot.
"Rabbit" was a speed-up runner as a freshman, and this was her first season playing in the outfield.
"This year was great, getting to play with Morgan in the field," Josi said. "She is such a good defender and a hitter; it takes pressure off me."
Josi was not ready to say the Bears would repeat in 2011.
"I don't want to jinx anybody, and they have a lot of good players and good hitters coming back next year," she said. "It's a bittersweet feeling for me. I'm sad it's over, and I'm happy to be moving on."
Junior shortstop Kelli Smart was 2-for-4 with a two-run double and two runs, giving her seven RBIs in the last two games.
"Winning state feels awesome and it never gets old," Smart, 17, said. "I had no idea who we were going to play today. North Sanpete pulled through and did a great job.
"We can call Bear River a dynasty, definitely," she said. "We won it the last two years, and we were a really good team this year. We have worked hard to get here. It's going to be hard winning four straight (titles), but it's possible. This is the best hitting team I've played on.
"Our pitching was a big part of our success," Smart said. "With our hitting and defense, we're just a big family."
Madison Jensen went 2-for-3 with a sacrifice; Nicole Johnson drilled a double and scored a run; Whitney Zundel was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run; and Marlee Mecham went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Da Bears.
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