Lady Sandites prevail 8-7 over Sapulpa despite two late homers from Gloden
/By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
In classic Highway 97 Rivalry fashion, the Sand Springs vs Sapulpa slow pitch softball game wasn’t decided till the final pitch. No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School (9-5) visited their arch rival, the Sapulpa Lady Chieftains (5-12) for a double header Thursday evening and won the first game by a single run.
Mid-American Christian University-signee Stella Millican (4-3) earned herself a winning record on the mound, while Taylor Acree got the loss for Sapulpa.
The first inning was scoreless for both teams, but Jessica Collins scored the go-ahead run on a single from Millican in the top of the second. Rachel Blair batted in her sister, Madelyn, then Millican came home on a throw. Freshman Jacie Taber tripled to score the elder Blair, then Kennedy “Goose” Salyers singled to score Taber for the 5-0 advantage.
The Lady Sandites added to their lead as Jessica Collins and Sydney Pennington scored on an error in the top of the third to make it 7-0. The home team finally began to rally in the bottom of the third as Acree walked to load the bases and Rose State College-signee Analys Gloden singled in Feather Roberts and Jessica Hobbs.
Sand Springs increased the lead to 8-2 in the top of the fifth, but Sapulpa exploded for four more runs in as Acree doubled to score Roberts and Gloden smacked a homer to score Acree and Hobbs.
Acree gave up only one single over the next two innings and it came down to the bottom of the seventh. Down by two, things began to look hopeful as Gloden hit yet another homer, but Kali Husman and Kristen Moore were both put out and Sand Springs held on for the win.
