Cedar stays unbeaten with soggy shutout win at Hurricane

Cedar High's Becca Boyer is tagged out at home plate in the first inning by Hurricane catcher Ginger Farnsworth, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

HURRICANE — The Cedar Lady Reds softball team stayed unbeaten in Region 9 play with a soggy shutout win over the Hurricane Lady Tigers Tuesday afternoon.

Cedar High first baseman Pua Johnson catches the ball to put out Hurricane’s Haven Smith, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

Playing in a drizzling rain that eventually subsided about midway through the contest, the two teams battled fairly evenly for the first couple innings before Cedar scored eight runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to end the contest 21-0 after five innings.

Cedar senior Sage Oldroyd saw action at pitcher in a region game for the first time this season, throwing all five innings and earning the win while allowing just five hits while striking out eight batters and walking two.

“We’re thinking we might need three pitchers at state (playoffs),” said Cedar head coach Chris Weaver, who usually alternates between senior lefthander Bryton Holyoak and junior righthander Kenzie Waters, with either hurler usually going the distance in any given game.

Weaver said he was pleased with Oldroyd’s solid performance. “Sage stepped up and pitched a great game for us.”

Cedar scored three unearned runs in the top of the first inning, as Dream Weaver walked and Denim Henkel reached base on an error. Both ultimately scored by stealing home on passed balls. Cedar then loaded the bases thanks to walks by Pua Johnson and Amanda Cardon, with a double by Becca Boyer in between. Shaun Bauman then singled to right, bringing in Johnson, but Boyer was thrown out at home, ending the top of the first with Cedar on top, 3-0.

Cedar High’s Dream Weaver slides safely into home plate with Hurricane pitcher Chantelle Pearson standing nearby, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

Hurricane was able to get only one runner on base during the first three innings, with junior Charley Landis hitting a single to center in the bottom of the third.

Hurricane third baseman Mesa Jones turned a quick double play in the top of the second when she caught Allie Meisner’s hard-hit line drive down the line and threw the ball to first in time to double up Abby Anderson, who’d walked to start the inning.

Cedar scored a couple more runs in the third inning, thanks to a fielder’s choice hit by Boyer and an RBI single by Bauman. The Lady Reds led 5-0 after three.

In the top of the fourth inning, just after the rain stopped, Cedar exploded for eight more runs, sending 12 batters to the plate and belting seven hits, including a double by Johnson and a triple by Meisner, each of which drove in two runs.

“Our kids were really swinging the bats,” coach Weaver said. “We hit the ball so hard today.”

Hurricane threatened to score in the bottom of the fourth, loading the bases with no out. Haven Smith reached first on an error, after which Mellina Madsen knocked a single up the middle and Mesa Jones rapped a hard grounder to short that Dream Weaver managed to stop and prevent Smith from scoring.

Oldroyd then struck out the next two batters, after which Hurricane’s Abbie Elison grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.

Cedar High’s Sage Oldroyd throws a pitch during 21-0 win over Hurricane, Hurricane, Utah, May 1, 2018 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News

Cedar’s 13-0 advantage after four innings was still two runs shy of invoking the mercy rule at that point, so the teams played one more inning.

In the top of the fifth, Cedar tacked on eight more runs, with Boyer belting a three-run homer over the left field fence and Meisner later adding a two-run home run in nearly the same spot.

In the bottom of the fifth, Hurricane again managed to load up the bases, but Jones struck out to end the game.

Coach Weaver said the game was closer than the score showed. “Hurricane stayed right in it the first three innings,” he said. “We just have a really tough lineup and everybody hit the ball well.”

Cedar racked up 17 hits during the contest and had seven batters walk. Hurricane pitcher Chantelle Pearson went the distance and took the loss for the Lady Tigers, who committed four errors in the field.

Cedar will host Pine View at 4 p.m. Friday in the regular season finale for both teams. The Lady Reds have assured themselves of the Region 9 title and will host opening-round playoff games as the No. 1 seed on Saturday, May 12.

Hurricane, meanwhile, is 3-7 in region play with two games remaining: at Snow Canyon Friday and at Canyon View on May 8.

Dixie at Pine View (postponed)

Tuesday’s scheduled game between Dixie and Pine View was postponed due to rainy weather. The contest has been tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday at 4 p.m.

Snow Canyon 9, Canyon View 7

The visiting Snow Canyon Warriors edged past Canyon View for a 9-7 victory in Cedar City Tuesday afternoon.

Snow Canyon led 4-1 after four innings, but Canyon View came back to tie the game 4-4 in the top of the fifth.

The Lady Warriors responded with a five-run rally in the bottom of the fifth, then withstood three more late runs by the Lady Falcons to win the game.

“We played well, despite the on-and-off heavy rain,” Snow Canyon head coach Tracee Heaton said. “We were able to hit well and score runs when we needed to.”

Canyon View coach Tony Krepps also lauded his players for playing well despite the poor weather conditions.

“We didn’t give up,” he said.

Winning pitcher Payten Jensen went the distance for Snow Canyon, allowing nine hits while striking out eight and walking three. Jordan Nielson took the loss for Canyon View.

Snow Canyon had three players hit home runs: Emma Bingham, Megan Rodgers and Natalie Gunn. Canyon View’s Camry Higgins belted a three-run homer, her seventh home run of the season.

Snow Canyon, with a 7-4 region record, is assured of a third-place finish in the region standings. The Warriors will close out the regular season by hosting Hurricane Friday.

Canyon View next plays at Desert Hills Friday at 4 p.m., followed by a home contest May 8 against Hurricane.

Region 9 standings (region, overall)

  1. Cedar 11-0, 18-6
  2. Desert Hills  9-2, 21-4
  3. Snow Canyon 7-4, 14-9
  4. Canyon View 5-5, 7-8
  5. Hurricane  3-7, 10-8
  6. Pine View  2-8, 7-13
  7. Dixie  0-11, 1-18

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

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