Prep softball: Warriors, Thunder keep winning, will face off next week

Written by Darren Cole
April 26, 2016
Snow Canyon's Nikenna Durante (9), Snow Canyon vs. Pine View, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 26, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Snow Canyon and Desert Hills both won Tuesday to set up a Region 9 showdown between the two league leaders next Tuesday afternoon. Cedar also won to stay one game behind the two leaders with two games remaining. Here is a breakdown of Tuesday’s action:

Snow Canyon 5, Pine View 0

Heather Prestwich pitched a gem of a one-hit shutout against the Lady Panthers. The only hit to get through the Warrior defense was a shot that just eluded a diving Mada Mooring at second base in the second inning.

snow-canyon-logopine-view-logo“Our defense and pitching have been there all year,” said Pine View head coach Kim Hafen. “We cannot figure out how to get hits.”

Prestwich struck out 10 and walked five. “I felt pretty good today,” she said. “They were picking up my screwball, so I threw more curves and changeups than I normally do. But pitching is a lot easier when you have a great defense behind you.”

Snow Canyon's Taylor Gunn (8) and Pine View's Ashlyn Gubler (12), Snow Canyon vs. Pine View, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 26, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Taylor Gunn (8) and Pine View’s Ashlyn Gubler (12), Snow Canyon vs. Pine View, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 26, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Jordan Gosik went the distance for Pine View. She held the Lady Warriors in check in the early going. The first two runs scored by Snow Canyon came in the third and fourth innings and were both unearned. In the third, Nikenna Durante got aboard with a double and scored later in the inning on a passed ball. In the fourth, Natalie Gunn singled to left field and later scored on a fielding error.

In the fifth inning, Durante hit a two-run home run over the center field fence. “We have had trouble hitting off (Gosik) in the past,” said Durante. “She was pitching outside, so I was crowding the plate. She threw one down the middle that was like an inside pitch for me. Those are my favorite ones to hit.”

The home run scored Sonya Hardy, who had gotten aboard with a single earlier in the inning. At the end of five, the score was 4-0.

Snow Canyon's Heather Prestwich (33), Snow Canyon vs. Pine View, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 26, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Heather Prestwich (33), Snow Canyon vs. Pine View, Softball, St. George, Utah, Apr. 26, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Natalie Gunn hit a single to left field to start off the Warriors sixth inning at bat. She was sacrificed in by Courtney Averett to get the Snow Canyon lead to 5-0.

“Natalie has been playing well for awhile,” said Snow Canyon head coach Tracee Heaton. “She got some key hits today. The whole team has been playing with a lot of energy. Hopefully that will carry through to next week.”

Hardy led Snow Canyon with three hits. “We expect this type of game from Sonya,” said Heaton. “She is the leadoff batter and the senior team captain. She sets the tone for her teammates.”

Snow Canyon will take on Desert Hills on Tuesday. DH is the only Region 9 team to beat Snow Canyon. “It was a 1-0 game in extra innings,” said Heaton. “I expect it to be the same type of game next week.”

The Lady Warriors improve to 12-2-1 overall and 7-1 in Region 9. Pine View drops to 10-12 overall and 3-5 in Region 9. The Panthers will play at Hurricane on Tuesday.

Desert Hills 10, Dixie 6

The game stayed close through five innings, with Desert Hills holding a slim 2-1 advantage. But with two outs, Desert Hills put together a rally that led to six Thunder runs.

desert-hills-logodixie-logo“We had several miscues in the sixth inning,” said Dixie head coach Dave Demas. “All of the runs were unearned, but they count nevertheless. We were able to battle back, but the lead was too great. The girls showed a lot of heart, but we have to cut down on the miscues. You can’t give that many runs to a good team and expect to win.”

Desert Hills had six hits in the sixth inning. It was the perfect storm for the Lady Flyers, who had six errors in the inning. The Thunder’s Morgynn Rosemeyer started the two-out rally with a double and the Thunder followed that up with three more consecutive hits, producing RBIs with each hit. Dixie put up four runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Individually for Desert Hills, Dalys Coil hit a solo shot in the second inning. Brianna St Clair led the Thunder with three hits. St. Clair also got the win from the circle, giving up six runs (one earned) on four hits and striking out nine.

Desert Hills moves to 21-4 overall and 7-1 in Region 9 and will host Snow Canyon on Tuesday. Dixie falls to 3-19 overall and 1-7 in Region 9. The Flyers will host Cedar on Tuesday.

Cedar 13, Hurricane 1 (five innings)

The Lady Reds dominated Hurricane with power hitting. Cedar got four home runs and four doubles in the game.

cedar-logohurricane-logoSadie Leavitt hit two home runs. Abby Anderson and Sage Oldroyd also hit home runs. Hannah Williams recorded two doubles and Dream Weaver and Pua Johnson hit the other two.

Brighton Holyoak pitched a complete game, striking out four and scattering four hits.

“Brighton pitched great,” said Cedar head coach Chris Weaver. “The run that was scored against her was unearned.”

As a team, Cedar had 12 hits, led by Williams, who went 3 for 3. Savannah Jessop led the Lady Tigers with two hits.

Cedar moves to 14-8 overall and 6-2 in region. The Lady Reds will host South Sevier on Friday in non-region action. They will travel to Dixie on Tuesday. Hurricane falls to 8-13 overall and 0-8 in Region 9. The Tigers will play at Delta on Friday before resuming Region 9 play by hosting Pine View on Tuesday.

Region 9 Standings
1t. Desert Hills 7-1 21-4
1t. Snow Canyon 7-1 12-2-1
3. Cedar 6-2 14-8
4. Pine View 3-5 10-12
5. Dixie 1-7 3-19
6 Hurricane 0-8 8-13

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren Cole recently returned to sportswriting after a 20-plus year hiatus. While pursuing other studies, he developed an early passion for sports writing as a senior writer and sports editor for the Ricks College Scroll in 1988-89. Darren has spent the last 20 years writing legal memorandi and appellate briefs. In addition to his legal career, he has also taught legal and criminal justice courses at the university level for nine years as an adjunct professor. Darren is married to wife Lisa, has two sons and is a confessed sports junkie.

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