Prep softball: DH shuts out Panthers; Warriors clinch playoffs

Pine View vs. Desert Hills, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 28, 2017, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – With only two games remaining in the Region 9 softball season, three teams have solidified their playoff spots with the fourth all but certain.

Cedar and Desert Hills are at one and two and will likely be playing for Region 9 supremacy in their final game of the season next week. Snow Canyon secured its post-season invitation with a win Friday night. Dixie and Pine View both sit at 1-7, two games behind Hurricane for the final playoff spot.  For either Pine View or Dixie to secure a playoff spot, they have to see Hurricane lose its final two games (against Dixie and Snow Canyon). They also have to win out with their last game coming against each other. Below are game summaries of Friday’s action:

Desert Hills 6, Pine View 0

The Lady Thunder shut out Pine View to stay one game back of Cedar. The game was not a “gimme” though as the Lady Panthers forced the home team to go the full seven innings for the win.

The scoring for Desert Hills started in the third inning. The Thunder got their first two batters on with a walk and an error. Riley Stookey hit a line drive to left field to score the first run. Sophie Wilcox then got the second RBI on a fielder’s choice. The last run came with the next at-bat when Stookey scored on a passed ball.

Desert Hills’ Savannah Wright (9), Pine View vs. Desert Hills, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 28, 2017, | Photo by Kevin Luthy, St. George News

Desert Hills added three more in the sixth. Corinn Grantham led the inning off with a triple. Megan Wiscombe then reached on an error to score Grantham. Ashlee File then tripled in Wiscombe. File then scored on a fielder’s choice grounder hit by Morgynn Rosemyer to the shortstop.

Bri St. Clair got the win from the circle, striking out 13, allowing one hit and seven total baserunners.

“We were able to get the win,” said Desert Hills head coach Kacee McArthur. “We got some big hits at critical moments to score some runs. But we still have to work on moving runners earlier in games. We missed some earlier opportunities. We need to work on that before Tuesday (against Snow Canyon).”

Abby Neilson also pitched well in the loss. She gave up six runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out four.

“We were pleased with our girls’ play in the loss,” said Pine View assistant head coach Russ Neilson. “Except for a crucial turnover in the third and sixth innings, we played good defense. We just had no offense tonight.”

Desert Hills improves to 7-1 in region and 22-2-1 overall. The Lady Thunder will travel to Snow Canyon on Tuesday. Pine View falls to 1-7 in region and 7-14 overall. The Lady Tigers will host Cedar on Tuesday.

Snow Canyon 10, Dixie 0 (F/5)

The Lady Warriors scored eight runs in the first two innings, then eked out the mercy-rule decision with two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.

In the first inning, Alex Deming started things off with a double. Preslee Gates then singled her in for the first run. The next batter, Camryn Johnson, hit an inside-the-park home run on a line drive to right field.

In the next inning, a Geena Dolce single and a fielding error put runners at the corners. Dolce then scored on a passed ball. Deming then drew a walk. Abi Farrer scored during the next at-bat on a passed ball. Gates then singled to left field to put runners at first and second. They both advanced on another passed ball. Deming then scored on a fielding error.

After getting two outs, the Lady Flyers committed another fielding error on a pop fly, allowing both Gates and Camryn Johnson to score. After two innings, it was 8-0.

The Dixie defense stiffened over the next two innings as pitcher Joslyn Bundy only faced six batters. But in the fifth, three singles from Natalie Gunn, Farrer and Gates got the necessary two runs across to call the game.

Payten Jensen got the win from the circle, pitching the complete-game shutout, striking out 11 and allowing only one hit. Twice Dixie threatened with the bases loaded. Jensen got out of the first with a strikeout. The second time, a great fielding play from Natalie Gunn and a groundout ended the threat.

“Jensen pitched great and we also had great approaches at the plate,” said Snow Canyon head coach Tracee Heaton. “Preslee Gates went 3 for 4, including the game-ending hit. Camryn Johnson got an in-the-park home run. We also had great at-bats from Deming and Farrer.”

Snow Canyon takes sole possession of third in region at 4-4 and also evens its overall record at 11-11. The Lady Warriors will host Desert Hills on Tuesday. Dixie falls to 1-7 in region play and 5-21 overall. The Lady Flyers will host Hurricane on Wednesday.

Cedar 17, Hurricane 1 (F/4)

The Cedar bats stayed hot. The Lady Reds collected 20 in just four innings. Sage Oldroyd and Denim Henkel both hit two-run home runs while Pua Johnson hit a grand slam. The Lady Reds have had eight total home runs over the last two games.

The sole run for Hurricane came on a home run hit by Mesa Jones in the first at-bat in the first inning.

“We did not show up today,” said Hurricane head coach Ryan Smith.

Cedar stays undefeated in region play (8-0) and improves to 14-7-1 overall and will travel to Pine View on Tuesday. Hurricane falls to 3-5 in Region 9 and 5-7-2 overall. The Lady Tigers will travel to Dixie on Wednesday.

 

REGION 9 SOFTBALL STANDINGS
Cedar 8-0 (14-7-1)
Desert Hills 7-1 (22-2-1)
Snow Canyon 4-4 (11-11)
Hurricane 3-5 (5-7-2)
Pine View 1-7 (7-14)
Dixie 1-7 (5-21)

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2017, all rights reserved.

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