CPHS softball trumps Yukon in district battle
/Sydney Pennington led the scoring for the Charles Page varsity fast pitch team with two runs and four RBIs, while Cheyenne Factor led the Yukon Millers’ softball team with three runs and three RBIs. Both hit the lone homeruns for their teams.
The Sand Springs Lady Sandites and the Yukon Lady Millers both entered Thursday’s district match-up at the Sandite Sporting Complex with undefeated district records and battled neck-and-neck to maintain that status.
Senior Goose Salyers got the start and win on the mound for the Sandites, while Breeley Webb suffered a loss for the Millers. Both players had a hard time pitching to such incredible talent at bat. Salyers allowed 34 hits over 7 innings and Webb allowed 29 hits over 6 innings—though Webb managed two strikeouts.
Yukon was first at bat and emerged to an early 2-0 lead over the home team. Mady Taylor was first on base with a single into center field, and was quickly brought home on an RBI homerun by Cheyenne Factor that easily cleared the fence. Makenna Arnold hit what should have been a single, but turned it into a double thanks to an error in left field by Rachel Blair. She was left stranded however as Stella Millican caught a fly ball into right field to bring the Lady Sandites in to bat.
Salyers hit a single that she turned into a double due to a Miller error. Jessica Collins hit a sacrifice bunt to advance Salyers to third, and Pennington smacked a big single into left field to bring her home, 2-1. Jessica Schuler nailed a double into the fence to bring Pennington to third, but they were both left stranded at the end of the inning.
The second inning saw four hits, no runs, and one stranded for the Millers, followed by three hits from the Sandites that failed to land anyone on base.
The Lady Millers furthered their lead in the third inning as Aleah Holman, Factor, and Webb hit back-to-back-to-back doubles, with Factor’s bringing Holman home and Webb’s bringing Factor home. Some impressive batting by Yukon was trumped by even more impressive Sandite fielding and two were left stranded as the home team came in to bat, trailing 4-1.
Salyers got on base with a single off of a fielding error by Webb, and was quickly brought in by a Sydney Pennington homerun that cleared the fence.
Sand Springs tied things up in the fourth inning, holding Yukon scoreless and scoring on a double into the centerfield fence by Salyers that brought Cody Cheatham home.
The fifth inning saw plenty of hits but no runs by either team. Great fielding by Kimi Presnell helped the home team to prevent any Yukon runs in the sixth inning and the Sandites came in to take the lead at bat. With back-to-back outs to start, Salyers changed the momentum with a single into centerfield followed by Collins. Pennington smacked an RBI single to bring Salyers home, and Schuler was walked leaving the bases loaded. Finally, Kalli Mallory hit a 2RBI single to bring Pennington and Collins home, 7-4.
The Lady Millers didn’t go down without a fight, as Riley Khr and Factor both hit singles and Arnold brought them in on a 2RBI double. Their attempt to retake the lead fell short, however, as Presnell caught an infield fly from Taylor to end the game.
Charles Page is now 16-3 overall and 9-0 in district play, maintaining the top spot in 6A-3 as Yukon drops to 12-6 and 7-1. The Sandites will next take on Tahlequah in the first round of the Coweta tournament Friday morning, and the Millers will travel to Norman next Tuesday. The two teams will get a rematch in a double header at Yukon’s home turf later this month.
Pennington crossing home plate on an 2RBI single by Kalli Mallory that also scored Collins.
Schuler at bat
Pennington on first base
