4A softball playoffs: Six Region 10 teams advance to state tournament bracket

ST. GEORGE — Six softball teams from Region 10 made it to the eight-team bracket that will decide who wins the 4A state championship.

Crimson Cliffs is the No. 2 seed and had a bye in the first round. Snow Canyon, Dixie, Desert Hills, Hurricane and Cedar all won their best-of-three series Saturday and will join the Mustangs at the tournament, which starts Wednesday at Canyons Softball Complex in St. George.

Following are recaps of the opening round series.

Snow Canyon 19, Logan 1 | Snow Canyon 19, Logan 0

The No. 4 seeded Warriors combined for 38 runs off of 32 hits in the series sweep.

Friday’s game was over after the top of the third inning. Anyssa Montano, Alyssa Staheli and Meah Stafford each had three RBIs for Snow Canyon. Jenna Thorkelson pitched the win.

Saturday’s game also ended after the top of the third. Emma Daniel pitched for Snow Canyon and allowed one hit en route to the victory.

Kennadi Gates hit a double and drove in three runs for the winners. Five different Warriors batters collected two RBIs in the contest. Stafford and Breckyn Atkinson each homered for Snow Canyon.

Dixie 10, Green Canyon 0 | Dixie 12, Green Canyon 11

Dixie cruised to Friday’s game one victory behind senior and ace pitcher Debra Tofi, who allowed two hits through five innings of work.

Dixie beats Green Canyon in a 4A state softball tournament game, St. George, Utah, May 14, 2022 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

Jamelle Mullins and Reese Monson each hit a homerun and drove in two for the victors. Tofi, Vanessa Scarborough and Alivia Arp each picked up an RBI for Dixie.

Saturday’s game took a lot more work for the Flyers. After the fourth inning Dixie trailed the Wolves 10-4.

Dixie plated five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to get back in the game.

“I asked them, I said, ‘Let’s put up at least two,’ and then they came back with five,” Dixie coach Payton Day told St. George News.

“They wanted the clutch hits, they were ready for the moment,” Day added. “It’s not so great for my blood pressure, but they weren’t nervous. They were ready to finish the game strong.”

Elle Anderson’s single in the bottom of the eighth inning scored the winning run and Dixie walked off to the next round.

“I’m pumped,” Tofi said. “We were out there trying our best, just fighting, and I knew that we could push it to the end. I know that my defense has my back and that’s what made me pitch such a great game.”

Monson led the way at the plate for the Flyers with her three RBIs. Arp chipped in with a double and two RBIs.

Five different Flyers–Tofi, Scarborough, Mullins, Anderson and Talya Singleton–recorded one RBI in the victory.

Hurricane 9, Pine View 2 | Hurricane 13, Pine View 3

No. 5 Hurricane ended the Panthers season after the series sweep.

Abbi Stout pitched Friday for Hurricane and yielded a run in each of the first two innings. After that, she put goose eggs up on the scoreboard and the Tigers raced to victory.

Stout, McKinlee Wright, Mary Jane Erickson and Kaitlyn Rasmussen all posted an RBI in the victory for Hurricane.

McKelle Jeppson had an RBI for Pine View.

Saturday, Anniston Hutchings pitched the Tigers to the win. Faith Fuller led the way at the plate with a triple and six RBIs for Hurricane. 

Jeppson, Lexie Tueller and Emalee Ziegler all had one RBI for the Panthers in the loss. 

Mountain Crest 4, Desert Hills 2 | Desert Hills 10, Mountain Crest 8 | Desert Hills 2, Mountain Crest 0

No. 9 Desert Hills went on the road and lost Friday, then went on to upset No. 8 Mountain Crest twice on Saturday to take the series win.

Mav Schmid was the winner in the pitcher’s circle in the critical Desert Hills win in game two. The Thunder led 10-5 after the fifth inning and held on.

Laci Jones hit a double, and homerun and knocked in three RBIs for Desert Hills. Jenelle Jones hit two doubles and drove in two runs.

Then Kailey Chamblee picked up the win for the Thunder in the rubber match. She surrendered no runs and allowed only four Mustangs hits.

Laci Jones again led the way at the plate for Desert Hills, smacking two doubles and picking up and RBI in the victory.

Cedar 9, Sky View 7 | Sky View 9, Cedar 4 | Cedar 11, Sky View 3

No. 11 Cedar upset No. 6 Sky View on the road. 

Cedar trailed 4-0 on Friday before rallying to win. Sadie Parson was the winning pitcher.

Braylee Peterson led Cedar with a homerun and four RBIs. Lexus Ludlow chipped in with a double, a homerun and three RBIs for the winners.

After seeing the Bobcats win game two Saturday, Cedar recovered with a convincing win in the rubber match to take the series and advance to the next round of the playoffs.

4A state tournament

The eight-team playoff begins Wednesday and Thursday at Canyons Softball Complex in St. George. Final round action will shift to Dixie State University Friday and Saturday.

The full bracket can be viewed at the UHSAA website.

Wednesday’s Games: 

  • No. 1 Bear River v. No. 8 Cedar, 12 p.m.
  • No. 2 Crimson Cliffs v. No. 7 Desert Hills, 12 p.m.
  • No. 3 Ridgeline v. No. 6 Dixie, 12 p.m.
  • No. 4 Snow Canyon v. No. 5 Hurricane, 12 p.m.

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