ST. GEORGE — Crimson Cliffs and Snow Canyon continued their race for the Region 10 softball title Thursday evening after the Mustangs and Warriors both completed sweeps over local rivals.

Meanwhile, Hurricane swept Pine View to even its Region 10 mark at 3-3.

Following are recaps of the week’s action on the softball diamonds:

Crimson Cliffs 15, Dixie 0 | Crimson Cliffs 8, Dixie 5

Tuesday’s game in Washington was over quickly after Mustangs pitcher McKenna Cahoon scattered three Flyers hits for the shutout.

Senior Emma Shakespear started her big week with two home runs and four RBIs in the win. Ellie Brinkerhoff contributed a double and three RBIs for the Mustangs and both Afton Roberts and Paisley Lantz homered and drove in two.

Riley Askland also doubled and had two RBIs in the win.

Thursday’s game at Dixie was a nailbiter. Senior pitcher Debra Tofi pitched the whole game for Dixie and limited the potent Mustang offense early. 

Still, Crimson Cliffs got home runs from seniors Ellie Herd and Ashten Taylor to take a 3-0 lead.

Dixie responded with a four-run rally in the fifth inning to take a 4-3 lead.

With one out and two on in that fifth, Crimson Cliffs coach Kourtnie Judd called on Cahoon to relieve starter Ashlyn Cowdell.

The Flyers tagged Cahoon with five hits and two runs. Cahoon struck out three in her 1.2 innings of work and handed the ball back to Cowdell for the seventh inning.

“We have two very strong pitchers,” Judd told St. George News after the win. “And they’re both pretty equal. So when we feel like one can complement the other we try and make that switch. Tonight it didn’t work so well.”

Crimson Cliffs recovered from the Dixie rally to plate five runs in the top of the seventh to complete the come-from-behind win.

Shakespear again was the spark for the Mustangs, hitting a three-run homer to provide the margin of victory. In the series against Dixie, she batted 5-for-7 with three home runs and seven RBIs.

“She’s our senior home run hitter,” Judd said. “Her bat is hot and we just hope it stays hot.”

Cowdell piled up six strikeouts in the contest and retired the Dixie side in the seventh to secure the win.

Tofi took the hard-luck loss for Dixie after surrendering eight runs off eight hits, walking four and striking out one. 

Vanessa Scarborough, Elle Anderson, Jamelle Mullins and Talya Singleton each had an RBI for Dixie in the defeat.

The sweep of the Flyers kept Crimson Cliffs tied with Snow Canyon at the top of the Region 10 standings at 7-1. 

“Everybody has targets on our backs,” Judd said. “We know that and we’re playing like we’re well aware of that. We split with Snow Canyon, they dropped one and we dropped one. So we’ll just have to see how that all works out.”

Snow Canyon 10, Desert Hills 4 | Snow Canyon 5, Desert Hills 4

The Warriors swept the Thunder as senior pitcher Jenna Thorkelson and junior pitcher Emma Daniel posted back-to-back wins.

In Tuesday’s win at Desert Hills, Thorkelson out-dueled Thunder pitcher Mav Schmid, who took the loss.

Erin Gunn doubled for the Warriors and drove in four runs. Anyssa Montano also doubled for the winners and had three RBIs.

Meah Stafford, Emma Miller and Emma Daniel each had one RBI for Snow Canyon.

Meanwhile, Jenelle Jones crushed a home run for Desert Hills. Alexandra Aiken followed suit with a solo shot and Saidey Spencer drove in two Thunder runs in the setback. 

Thursday’s rematch at Snow Canyon was a close game. The Warriors led 4-0 after two innings, but the Thunder roared back to rally before Snow Canyon held on in the seventh.

Daniel picked up the win in the circle while Schmid took the tough loss for the Thunder.

Stafford led the way at the plate for Snow Canyon with her double and two RBIs. Avery Thorkelson, Alyssa Staheli and Montano all collected one RBI for the winners.

The Thunder was led by Jones and Spencer, who each doubled. Spencer had two RBIs while Jones drove in one.

Hurricane 14, Pine View 7 | Hurricane 6, Pine View 0

Hurricane maintained its third-place position in the Region 10 standings after the sweep, tied with Dixie behind Desert Hills and first-place Snow Canyon and Crimson Cliffs.

The Tigers have home-and-home series remaining against both the Warriors and Mustangs, and Hurricane plays at Cedar Tuesday at 3 p.m. in its next game.

Last Friday’s game

Snow Canyon 15, Cedar 1

At Cedar, the Snow Canyon Warriors scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning to put the game out of reach early. The Warriors sent 14 batters to the plate that inning. First baseman Jenna Thorkelsen got two of the Warriors’ hits that inning, belting a single and a double and scoring twice.

Emma Daniel pitched all five innings for the Warriors, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out eight and walking one. Elli John was the losing pitcher for Cedar.

The Warriors finished with 15 total hits, including three apiece by Jenna Thorkelson, Avery Thorkelson and Emma Miller.

— written by Jeff Richards

Region 10 softball standings, as of April 15 (region, overall):

1. Crimson Cliffs 7-1, 16-2-1
2. Snow Canyon 7-1, 15-7
3. Desert Hills 4-2, 8-10
4. Hurricane 3-3, 11-4
5. Dixie 3-3, 11-8
6. Cedar 0-6, 7-11
7. Pine View 0-8, 3-14

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