Region 10 softball: Thunder, Warriors win big, stay unbeaten as key players shine on the diamond

ST. GEORGE — Two teams are beginning to emerge as frontrunners in the race for the Region 10 softball championship.

Desert Hills walloped Hurricane 14-0 Thursday night in three innings after the Thunder batted around in the bottom of the second inning and plated 11 runs.

“They had a plan and they kept doing what we asked them to do,” Thunder coach Heidi Taylor told St. George News after the win.

“A lot of runs with two outs,” she added. “We talk a lot about not leaving runners in scoring position and they went up to the plate with a plan in mind and they did a good job.”

Desert Hills freshman pitcher Lulu West was perfect in the three-inning win, facing nine batters and dismissing them all. She threw three strikeouts.

Jojo Sparks (3) and Desert Hills scores 11 runs in the second inning and defeats Hurricane in a Region 10 softball game, St. George, Utah, March 30, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George Newes

Hurricane did not help its own cause, committing four total errors and three in the second inning.

Five Thunder batters had hits in the win while West helped her own cause with two knocks – a double and a home run. She collected three RBI in her do-it-all performance.

Another Thunder freshman, Jayla Ybright, drove in two for the winners. Jojo Sparks, Hallee Heath, Jenelle Jones and Payton Benson each recorded one RBI for the Thunder.

“They like each other a lot,” Taylor said about the young Thunder, which features 13 underclassmen on its roster. “It’s a lot of fun. They’re always having fun and they’re fun to be around. They want to work, they want to have fun and they want to win ballgames.”

Desert Hills improved to 4-0 in Region 10 play and is 11-4 overall. 

“It’s always anybody’s ballgame when you step on the field,” Taylor said. “We just have to come one game at a time.”

Meanwhile, Snow Canyon is also undefeated in Region 10 contests at 3-0 and is 8-6 overall.

Kylie Hardy (20) gets to third in Snow Canyon’s win over Pine View in a Region 10 softball game, St. George, Utah, March 28, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

The Warriors have won three games in a row, including a 15-3 road victory at Pine View Tuesday. Desert Hills coach Taylor described Snow Canyon as “freaking solid.” 

Snow Canyon did most of its damage during a nine-run third inning.

Avery Thorkelson led the Warriors charge with a homer, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Senior Kylie Hardy was a force at the plate, smacking two hits, scoring three times and driving in three runs.

Five other Warriors (Allysa Staheli, Kennadi Gates, AnnDee Jensen, Meah Stafford and Chandler Beck) each had an RBI in the victory. 

Pine View’s Reese Avery doubled and scored in the game and both Ragan Johnson and Jaycee Day collected an RBI for the Panthers (4-4 overall, 0-1 Region 10) in the setback.

Other Region 10 games from March 28

Crimson Cliffs 14, Cedar 4

McKenna Cahoon notched 11 strikeouts for the Mustangs and Crimson Cliffs plated at least two runs in four of the five innings to 10-run rule the Reds.

Paisley Lantz led the way for Crimson with her double, home run and four RBI. Abby Morris also crushed a homer and collected two RBI in the win.

Riley Asklind recorded two RBI and Ellie Brinkerhoff also drove in a run in Crimson’s victory.

Jenna Johnson hit a solo homer for Cedar (3-4, 2-1). Marley Geddes hit a double in the game.

Taislee Arehart drove in two RBIs with her double and Haylee Campbell recorded Cedar’s other RBI in the setback.

Desert Hills 11, Hurricane 3

The Thunder led 5-3 after five innings in Hurricane then plated six tallies in the final seventh frame to defeat the Tigers.

Lulu West picked up the pitching win with four strikeouts for the Thunder.

Aisey Gargano led the Desert Hills attack with a home run, a double and four RBI. Halley Payne also homered and drove in two.

McKinlee Wright hit a homerun for Hurricane (3-6, 0-5) and drove in two runs in the defeat.

Region 10 Games from March 27

Snow Canyon 7, Hurricane 1

The Warriors rapped out 14 hits in the win, including Avery Thorkelson’s home run and double for five RBI. Emma Daniel and AnnDee Jensen each hand an RBI in the Snow Canyon victory.

Emma Patterson and Elizabeth Horsely each doubled for the Tigers, who had three hits in the contest.

Thorkelson stymied the Hurricane bats and piled up 14 strikeouts in the s Warriors win.

Cedar 20, Dixie 19

The Reds scored two in the top of the seventh inning to secure the marathon victory that saw the sides combine for 39 runs, 38 hits and 11 errors.

Eliza Kesterson led Dixie (4-8, 0-2) with five RBI.

Three Flyers batters drove in two runs apiece (Morgan Staheli, Lila Fitzgerald, Jamelle Mullins) and Alivia Arp hit an RBI double in the setback.

Cedar’s victory came behind Haylee Campbell and Kaitlin Bullock, who each doubled and drove in four runs for the winners. Marley Geddes homered and collected three RBI for the Reds. Cambria Simper batted home runs in the triumph.

Region 10 softball standings as of March 31:

  1. Desert Hills, 4-0 (11-4 overall).
  2. Snow Canyon, 3-0 (8-6).
  3. Cedar, 2-1 (3-4).
  4. Crimson Cliffs, 1-2 (5-5).
  5. Pine View 0-1 (2-4).
  6. Dixie, 0-2 (4-8)
  7. Hurricane 0-4 (3-6).

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

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