Prep softball: Cedar, D-Hills both win to set up showdown

Desert Hills' Quincey Staheli (24), Snow Canyon vs. Desert Hills, Softball, St. George, UT, May 2, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – There’s only one day of Region 9 softball left, but there’s a lot on the line as the teams prepare for the state playoffs.

Cedar and Desert Hills, which both won easily on Tuesday, will meet for the Region 9 championship Friday. The Lady Reds hold a one-game edge heading into that final game.

Meanwhile, Hurricane clinched a playoff spot to dash what hope was left for Pine View and Dixie. The Lady Tigers pulled even with Snow Canyon at 4-5 in region and will play the Warriors Friday to determine third and fourth seeds from the region. Below are game summaries of Tuesday’s action:

Desert Hills 11, Snow Canyon 0

The Thunder shut out Snow Canyon behind a superb performance from the circle by Brianna St. Clair. She pitched the full game and struck out 12, allowing one hit and five base runners the entire game.

Desert Hills got on the scoreboard in the first inning. St. Clair drew a walk and then steadily advanced on passed balls to get the first run. The Thunder went up 2-0 in the second on a Quentin Staheli single, scoring Ashlee File. Desert Hills added another run in the fourth when St Clair doubled in Staheli and Kailee Milne.

Desert Hills’ Corinn Grantham (20), Snow Canyon vs. Desert Hills, Softball, St. George, UT, May 2, 2017, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Still, after four innings, the Warrior defense and pitching had kept the game close. But in the fifth inning, the Thunder put the game out of reach. Sophie Wilcox started the rally with a one-out double. She then scored on a throwing error that allowed Megan Wiscombe to reach. File then singled with a line drive to left field to score Wiscombe. After File stole second, she scored on a Savannah Wright single to center field.

A walk and a single by Staheli loaded the bases. Wright and Milne scored on an error to put the Thunder up 9-0 before the Warrior defense got a double play to get out of the inning. The last two runs came in the top of the sixth. Corinn Grantham scored on a wild pitch. Wiscombe singled in Katelyn Philips for the final run.

Staheli and Philips both led the team with two hits each. St. Clair and Wiscombe each had two RBIs.

The Thunder move to 8-1 in Region 9 and 23-2-1 overall. They will host Cedar on Friday. Snow Canyon falls to 4-5 in region and 11-12 overall. The Lady Warriors will travel to Hurricane for their final game.

Cedar City 14, Pine View 1

The Lady Panthers kept the destructive Cedar bats in check for four innings. Cedar’s lead was only 3-1 heading into the fifth. But as good teams often do, the Lady Reds strung together six hits and scored five runs in the fifth. They matched that hit total in the sixth and put up six more runs to end the game.

“We kept it close initially,” said Pine View assistant coach Russ Nielson. “Cedar has some very good hitting. They got 11 runs in two innings.”

Brighton Holyoak got the win from the circle. Offensively for Cedar, Sage Oldroyd, Japrix Weaver and Denim Henkel all had doubles.

Cedar stays undefeated in region at 9-0 and 15-7-1 overall. The Lady Reds will travel to Desert Hills on Friday. Pine View falls to 1-8 in Region 9 and 7-15 overall. The Lady Panthers will travel to Dixie on Friday.

Hurricane 7, Dixie 4

For Dixie to make the playoffs, the Flyers had to win out and hope that Hurricane would lose its last two games. The Lady Tigers extinguished those hopes with a close 7-4 win.

Hurricane jumped on the Lady Flyers early, scoring two in the first. Hayley Teta drew a walk, stole second then third, then came home on a fielder’s choice by Marquee Jones. Then Jaiden Smith repeated Teta’s exact routine. Walk, steal, steal, score on fielder’s choice by Heather Stout.

The Lady Tigers carried that 2-0 lead to the bottom of the fifth. Dixie was able to match the two runs. Yasmine Ashton started the one-out rally with a double. Jocelyn Bundy then moved her to third with a bunt. Bundy then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Kenzie Worthington batted in the first with a hard hit to right field. Bundy would score by tagging on a foul out to even the game 2-2.

Hurricane’s Jaycee Barney (5), file photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

That respite would be short-lived however. The Lady Tigers got two runners on with two base hits. Teta then hit a home run to center field to put Hurricane up 5-2.

Dixie got one run back when Chayden Chong scored on a fielder’s choice by Kaylee Riding to end the fifth down 5-3.

In the seventh inning, Hurricane added two insurance runs. With two outs gone, Jaycee Barney doubled in A. Elison. Savannah Jessop traded place with Barney with another double.

Dixie tried to rally in the bottom of the inning. Bundy began the inning with a single to center field. Brittany Grob then reached on a fielding error, moving Bundy to third. Bundy then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kenzie Worthington. But that would be the Flyers last score as Teta retired the final two batters.

“(Hurricane’s) first five runs were unearned,” said Dixie head coach Dave Demas. “They built too big of a lead for us to overcome. We had some injuries today, but the girls that played gave 100 percent. We were proud of their efforts.”

“Hayley Teta played very well today,” said Hurricane head coach Ryan Smith. “That was her first home run ever. It could not have come at a better time. We are excited to be playoff bound this year.”

Hurricane moves to 4-5 in region play and 6-7-2 overall. The Tigers will host Snow Canyon on Friday. Dixie falls to 1-8 in region and 5-22 overall and will host Pine View on Friday.

REGION 9 SOFTBALL STANDINGS
Cedar 9-0 (15-7-1)
Desert Hills 8-1 (23-2-1)
Snow Canyon 4-5 (11-12)
Hurricane 4-5 (6-7-2)
Pine View 1-8 (7-15)
Dixie 1-8 (5-22)

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

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

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