Prep softball: SC, Cedar win, sit atop Region 9 after two games

Written by Darren Cole
March 30, 2016
Dixie's Hannah Nyberg (6) and Snow Canyon's Nikenna Durante (9), Dixie vs. Snow Canyon, Softball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 30, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – Snow Canyon and Cedar each captured wins Wednesday afternoon, putting the two teams on top of the Region 9 standings here in the early going. Desert Hills also grabbed a win in a close shootout with Hurricane. Here’s a recap:

Snow Canyon 10, Dixie 0

The Lady Warriors traveled to Dixie Wednesday afternoon and, even though the visiting team blanked the Lady Flyers 10-0, it took them a full seven innings to get there.

snow-canyon-logodixie-logo“We had a couple of mistakes,” said Dixie head coach Dave Demas. But in the middle innings we held them. We also got runners on base but could not get them across.”

The first inning looked as if the game would not go seven. The Warriors came out strong. Sonya Hardy reached on a fielding error and advanced to second. She then stole third. Nikenna Durante drew a walk, then stole second. Camryn Johnson then singled to left field to score Hardy. Durante then scored on a wild pitch. and it was already 2-0. Johnson advanced to third on the play.

Snow Canyon's Sonya Hardy (21), Dixie vs. Snow Canyon, Softball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 30, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Sonya Hardy (21), Dixie vs. Snow Canyon, Softball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 30, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

The next two batters then grounded out to short. Mada Mooring then singled to short to score Johnson, making it 3-0. Mooring then stole second. Brittany Reyes singled to right field to score Mooring before the half inning ended on a line drive to short. But the damage was done and the Warrior lead was 4-0.

Hardy again got things started for the Warriors in the second inning. After a groundout to short, Hardy hit a triple to the gap in left-center. Durante’s single scored Hardy. Johnson then singled down the left field line, moving Durante to third. Natalie Gunn then doubled to left-center to score Durante. The Warriors had put up two more to hold a commanding 6-0 lead.

A sacrifice fly in the fourth inning by Mooring scored Johnson to get the score to 7-0. The Dixie defense held from that point till Johnson hit a three-run home run in the seventh for the final margin. It was Johnson’s third homer of the year.

“It felt good when I hit it,” said Johnson. “I knew I got ahold of it, but I was not sure if it was going over.”

“This game was a lot tougher than I thought it would be,” said SCHS head coach Tracee Heaton. “Dixie’s shortstop (Hannah Nyberg) played extremely well.” Nyberg had 12 assists in the game for Dixie.

Heather Prestwich was again impressive in the circle. Prestwich struck out 11, including the last five, scattered three hits and allowed only one base on balls.

The Lady Warriors moved to 7-0-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 9. They will travel to Pine View on Friday afternoon. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Dixie falls to 2-12 overall, 0-2 in region play. The Flyers will travel to Desert Hills on Friday. Game time is set for 4 p.m.

Cedar 7, Pine View 1

The Lady Reds pulled away in the final inning to secure the victory against Pine View. Up 3-0 going into the seventh, Cedar added four more insurance runs. Pine View did get a run across in the final inning but that was all the Lady Panthers could muster.

cedar-logopine-view-logoCedar had 15 hits in the game with multiple hits recorded by Abby Anderson, Sadie Leavitt and Amanda Cardon. Brighton Holyoak pitched the complete game for Cedar, striking out eight.

“We hit the ball well,” said Cedar head coach Chris Weaver. “But the start of this game was Brighton. She kept their hitters in check the entire game.”

With the win, the Lady Reds improve to 6-4 overall, 2-0 in Region 9. They will travel to Hurricane on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. Pine View drops to 6-5 overall, 1-1 in region play. The Panthers will host Snow Canyon on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Desert Hills 11, Hurricane 10

The Lady Thunder scored three runs in the top of the sixth, then held on to squeak by Hurricane for their first win in region play.

desert-hills-logohurricane-logoThe game stayed close throughout. Desert Hills put up two runs each in the third and fourth innings to take an 8-5 lead. The Lady Tigers rallied in the fifth with five runs to go ahead 10-8.

“We had seven errors and four passed balls,” said Desert Hills head coach Brady Fonnesbeck. “Hurricane made us pay for every one of them.”

Desert Hills would immediately respond with three runs in the top of the sixth. Kylie Bowler started the inning with a single. Brianna St. Clair then drew a walk. Shelby Reynolds then hit a spinner in the infield and reached base, scoring Bowler to make it 10-9.

Sophie Wilcox then hit a line drive to the second baseman, who snagged it and doubled Reynolds off at first base. With a runner at second and still down 10-9 to the Lady Tigers, Kodi Salisbury rocked a two-run shot over the right-center field fence. St. Clair then held the Tiger batters in check over the last two innings.

Bowler and Megan Wiscombe led the Lady Thunder with two hits apiece. Hayley Teta and Jaquois Allan had three and two hits, respectively, for Hurricane. St. Clair got the win and allowed only one earned run.

Desert Hills moves to 11-3, 1-1 in Region 9. The Thunder will host Dixie on Friday. Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. Hurricane falls to 6-6 overall, 0-2 in region and will host Canyon View in non-region action Thursday before hosting Cedar on Friday. Both games are scheduled for 4 p.m.

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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