ST. GEORGE – It’s still early, but Snow Canyon is starting to look like a big dog on the Region 9 porch.
The Lady Warriors unleashed a barrage of impressive firepower in the first two innings Tuesday at home against Desert Hills in a 15-0 mercy-rule shortened game that opened the region season for both teams.
Sonya Harding, Lauren Brown and Nikenna Durante, who scored three runs in three innings for Snow Canyon, all hit the ball well. Snow Canyon improved to 6-0 overall and 1-0 in region play.
“We’re hitting the ball really well right now,” SC coach Tracee Heaton said. “Our line-up all the way up and down is really swinging it and it makes my job easy.”
The first two batters of the game were hit by pitches, followed by back to back walks to Hardy and Shelbee Hutchings to bring home the first run. Camryn Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0, then Brown was hit by a pitch and Taylor Gunn singled and the rout was already on.
“We’ve really been working a lot on hitting in practice and I think we’re swinging with more confidence this year,” Mooring said. “We definitely had some nerves, but we played well in the tournaments before this and we definitely came in with confidence. We knew we couldn’t take this team lightly, but we were ready to play.”
After the six-run first, things got ugly in the second as the Warriors brought 13 batters to the plate, with eight of them scoring. Hutchings, Brown, Smith and Hardy all had hits in the rally, which pushed the lead to 14-0.
D-Hills was held scoreless in the third inning, which meant Snow Canyon needed just one run to invoke softball’s 15-run mercy rule (after three innings). The Warriors got it done and came away with the easy win.
“Heather Prestwich threw great,” Heaton said. “We talked about getting ahead of batters and throwing strikes and let her defense do the work and that’s what she did. I’m proud of her.”
Snow Canyon plays at Pine View Friday at 4 p.m. Desert Hills, 0-6, hosts Hurricane Thursday at 4 p.m.
Canyon View 4, Hurricane 2
The Lady Falcons are looking for someone to step up and replace last year’s pitching star, Josie Platt. If Tuesday is any indication, Taylor Wheelwright wants the job.
She pitched a complete game against the Tigers, recording 10 strikeouts and scattering six hits. Kelsee Hyatt had an RBI double and Canyon View opened region play with a home win. Hurricane got within 2-1 in the fourth inning, but CV added two big runs in the sixth to clinch the win.
Canyon View, 2-5 overall and 1-0 in region, is off until a home game vs. Dixie next Tuesday afternoon. Hurricane, 3-3 and 0-1, is at Desert Hills Thursday.
Cedar 12, Pine View 0
The Lady Reds, last year’s region co-champs, started region off impressively with a dominating performance at home.
Meanwhile, the start of the season has been rough for the Lady Panthers, surrendering at least nine runs in five of their six games this season.
Cedar, 5-4 overall and 1-0 in region, is at Dixie Friday afternoon. Pine View, 2-4 and 0-1, hosts Carbon in a non-league game Thursday and Snow Canyon on Friday.
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