ST. GEORGE — Jaycee Slack hit a 3-run home run and Josie Platt pitched seven strong innings as Canyon View caused a major power shift in Region 9 Friday afternoon with an impressive 8-3 win at Snow Canyon at Warriors Field.
Slack socked a soaring shot deep over the left field fence to help stake the Falcons to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and Canyon View never looked back en route to the win. It helped that Platt was in control throughout, with her only real trouble coming in the third inning. Down 6-1, Snow Canyon rallied for a pair of runs in the third and had runners on second and third with one out. But Platt got a strikeout and a popup to retire the side and the Warriors would not score again in the ball game.
Platt said she was trilled to have her team score four runs before she’d even thrown her first pitch.
“It takes a lot of pressure off of you,” she said. “I was really pleased with them doing that. I think our defense was good. They made some big plays.”
Slack agreed, saying it was a big mental lift for the whole team in capturing the road win.
“It gives our pitcher a big mental lift,” Slack said. “She doesn’t have to worry as much. She’s sitting on a lead.”
The Warriors, who went undefeated in region last season, had a rough day defensively, committing six errors, including three in the second inning alone. Only half of the Falcons eight runs were earned runs.
The game stayed relatively close at 6-3 for several innings after SC had scored in the third. Snow Canyon left the bases loaded in the fourth inning when Platt threw out a base runner at the plate on a come-backer and then induced a harmless ground out to short.
Canyon View then added a key insurance run in the sixth when Brielle Nicholes scored after getting a hit and then advancing on another SC error. A second insurance run came home in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Platt that brought home Shontae Clark.
With the win, the Falcons ironically handed rival Cedar first place, at least momentarily. The idle Lady Reds, at 5-1, are a half-game ahead of the Warriors and Falcons, both of whom are 5-2 in region play. Canyon View hosts Cedar Tuesday afternoon at Falcons Field.
Nicholes and Cheyenne Anderson were the top hitters for CV with three base knocks each.
For Snow Canyon, which is 9-4 overall, Mada Mooring and Grace Walton had two hits each. The Warriors play at Pine View on Tuesday.
Stats: cvscsoft41114
(story continues below)
Videocast by Dallas Griffin, St. George News
Dixie 22, Desert Hills 16
The Flyers returned the favor by winning on the home field of its opponent in this rival game.
Dixie scored 12 runs in the top of the first inning, but had to battle the full seven innings as the Thunder fought back to make a game of it.
Gwen Tagliarino hit a grand slam in the inning and the two teams combined to score 38 runs.
The win was big for Dixie, which pulled a game ahead of Desert Hills in the race for a playoff spot. The Flyers are 7-9 overall, but 4-3 in region play.
Desert Hills, 8-8 and 3-4, has lost two straight.
Dixie plays a home game vs. Hurricane Tuesday while Desert Hills plays at Cedar Wednesday in advance of the Easter long weekend.
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Region 9
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W
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L
|
RS
|
RA
|
pct.
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W
|
L
|
RS
|
RA
|
pct.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar | 5 | 1 | 55 | 27 | .833 | 7 | 8 | 101 | 101 | .467 |
| Snow Canyon | 5 | 2 | 55 | 30 | .714 | 9 | 4 | 112 | 58 | .692 |
| Canyon View | 5 | 2 | 60 | 21 | .714 | 10 | 4 | 122 | 63 | .714 |
| Dixie | 4 | 3 | 48 | 45 | .571 | 7 | 9 | 90 | 110 | .438 |
| Desert Hills | 3 | 4 | 57 | 78 | .429 | 8 | 8 | 119 | 148 | .500 |
| 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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