ST. GEORGE – Snow Canyon’s softball team made sure everyone knows there’s only room for one big dog on the Region 9 porch.

The Lady Warriors scored three runs in the seventh inning and beat a pesky Desert Hills team 8-6 Tuesday afternoon to improve to 5-1 in region and keep a firm hold on first place halfway through region play.

“We need to get mentally stronger, but I feel pretty good about where we are,” said SC coach Brandyn Sargent. “Desert Hills has improved immensely from last year to this year. They’re making plays. They made some mistakes, too, but most of them were in that last inning.”

The Lady Thunder had the defending region champs on the ropes. Desert Hills led 6-5 heading into the seventh inning after Lexi Hamblin and Allie Beck knocked in runs in the bottom of the sixth.

But Snow Canyon’s Shelby Hutchings led off the seventh with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Grace Walton. After a wild pitch, Hutchings scored on a sacrifice fly by Kenzie Reynolds to make it 6-6 with two down.

But the Lady Warriors weren’t done. Skylar Gates reached on an error and Ashley Miller walked. Gates ended up scoring on a throwing error back to the pitcher to make it 7-6. Miller then also scored on DH’s third error of the inning to make it 8-6.

The Thunder went down in order in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

“I’m happy with our team this year,” SC senior Grace Walton said. “I think we have as much talent on this team as we did on the team last year. Once it all clicks together, we’re going to be really great.”

Both teams scored big early, with Desert Hills emerging from the first inning with a 4-3 lead. The score stayed that way until the fifth inning when SC took a 5-4 lead on a DH scoring error and an RBI by Walton.

Heather Prestwich got the win for Snow Canyon, which hosts Canyon View Friday afternoon.

Desert Hills, which fell to 8-7 overall and 3-3 in region play, got a double from Kodi Barlow. The Thunder host Dixie Friday afternoon.

Stats: scdhsoft4814

Dixie 6, Pine View 3

Down 3-0, the Lady Flyers struck for five runs in the second and third innings to turn the game upside down. Shelbi Holt paced the offense with a triple and Summer Simkins got the win in the circle as Dixie evened its region record to 3-3 and pulled itself in a tie for fourth place with Desert Hills. The two teams square off at DH Friday.

The Panthers, 5-8 and 1-5, have dropped five straight after opening region with a mercy rule victory over Hurricane. Pine View visits Hurricane Thursday afternoon.

Cedar 7, Hurricane 5

The Lady Reds pulled into a tie with Snow Canyon at 5-1 in region with the road win Tuesday afternoon.

Cedar, 7-7 overall, has a couple of non-league games Wednesday (Manti) and Saturday (Payson) before resuming league play next Tuesday at Canyon View.

Hurricane, which fell to 4-10 and 0-6, hosts Pine View Thursday.

Region 9	W	L	RS	RA	pct.	W	L	RS	RA	pct.
Snow Canyon	5	1	52	22	.833	9	3	109	50	.750
Cedar	5	1	55	27	.833	7	7	100	85	.500
Canyon View	4	2	52	18	.667	9	4	114	60	.692
Dixie	3	3	26	29	.500	6	9	68	95	.400
Desert Hills	3	3	41	56	.500	8	7	103	126	.533
Pine View	1	5	25	40	.167	5	8	103	107	.385
Hurricane	0	6	19	78	.000	4	10	83	147	.286

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