Lady Sandite Softball mid-season update: stats and preview of Bixby Tournament

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (15-3, 6-0) is riding a twelve-game winning streak and just put a big win in the books with a 9-1 defeat of former district No. 1 Yukon. The Lady Sandites have proven they have the skillset necessary to make another State Championship run, but the season is far from over. Every team knows that once you reach the number one spot, you paint a target on your back and all eyes are on you.

After graduating two All-State players and six starting seniors last year, the Lady Sandites were in need of some fresh talent to bolster the ranks led by Sydney Pennington, Jessica Collins, and Rachel Blair. They found that talent in freshmen Felicity Horn and Sabrina Usher. Jacie Taber and Madelyn Blair have also been crucial in filling the void left by Kennedy “Goose” Salyers at the mound.

The Lady Sandites had a lukewarm start to the season as they were still adjusting to the new team dynamic. They split their first two games at the Claremore Festival, winning the opener 13-0 over Mannford, but dropping game two 5-0 to Coweta.

By the end of the Broken Arrow Tournament they had found their rhythm 

They dropped a close 2-1 game to Owasso, defeated the defending State Champions from Choctaw 4-1, and took down Putnam City North 3-1. Durant dealt the girls a 6-2 loss, but that was the last time this season anyone has beaten the Lady Sandites.

The girls won their next two games to place fifth of sixteen teams in the tournament, and haven’t lost a game since. They won six-straight shutouts and dethroned Yukon to become the only undefeated team remaining in District 6A-3.

The girls have the opportunity to pick up two more district wins tonight at home when they take on the Ponca City Wild Cats (14-8, 2-3) at 5:00 p.m.. The two teams only have a couple of mutual opponents. Ponca was run-ruled twice by Yukon, and fell 9-2 to Jenks, who the Sandites defeated 10-2.

From there, the girls will travel to the Bixby Spartan Tournament this Friday. They will play 3A Perry (10-17) at 1:20 p.m. on field #9 at Bentley Park. The teams only have one mutual opponent this far. The Maroons fell 8-1 to Mannford a few weeks ago. They also lost 12-0 to Ponca City.

The Sandites will take on the host team at 3:00 p.m. Friday on field #9. The Spartans (8-10, 7-3) are third in district and haven’t played Sand Springs yet, but they lost two games to Yukon and one to Sapulpa.

On Saturday Sand Springs will play 4A Cushing (11-8) at 10:00 a.m. on Field #11 and 5A Skiatook (7-9) at 1:20 p.m. on field #9.

Also in the tournament is Edmond Memorial (6-10), 5A Collinsville (20-2), Glenpool (10-8), Inola (8-11), and Sapulpa (4-13). Collinsville is the biggest threat in the tournament. The defending 5A State Champions are undefeated in their district and have only given up two losses this season. Southmoore defeated them 9-0 and Carl Albert won a close one 1-0. Both Southmoore and Carl Albert were State Semi-Finalists in their divisions last year.

The first round of bracket games will be played at 3:00 p.m. Saturday and the finals and consolation finals will be played at 4:40 p.m.

Sydney Pennington has played all 18 games and is .490 batting, .863 slugging, and has a .574 OBP with 14 singles, 6 doubles, 4 homeruns, 1 stolen base, 18 runs, and 14 RBI on 51 at-bats. She is 3-0 from the mound this year and holds a 0.60 ERA and .900 WHIP. She’s given up only 3 runs and 11 hits against 14 strikeouts and pitches 61% strikes.

Jessica Collins has played all 18 games and is .327 batting, .346 slugging, and has a .426 OBP with 16 singles, 1 double, 6 sacrifices, 3 stolen bases, 20 runs, and 10 RBI on 52 at-bats.

Sabrina Usher has played all 18 games and is .300 batting, .500 slugging, and has a .340 OBP with 8 singles, 6 doubles, 1 home run, 1 sacrifice, 1 stole base, 8 runs, and 11 RBI on 50 at-bats.

Cameron Clemons has played all 18 games and is .273 batting, .318 slugging, and has a .360 OBP with 9 singles, 3 doubles, 3 sacrifices, 1 stolen base, 9 runs, and 4 RBI on 44 at-bats.

Madelyn Blair has played all 18 games and is .259 batting, .352 slugging, and has a .344 OBP with 9 singles, 5 doubles, 2 sacrifices, and 6 runs on 54 at-bats. She is 5-2 from the mound this season and holds a 1.77 ERA and 1.038 WHIP. She has given up only 10 runs and 25 hits against 31 strikeouts and pitches 71% strikes.  

Jacie Taber has played all 18 games and is .226 batting, .283 slugging, and has a .268 OBP with 9 singles, 3 doubles, 3 sacrifices, 2 stolen bases, 6 runs, and 6 RBI on 53 at-bats. She is 7-1 from the mound this season and holds a 1.10 ERA and 1.059 WHIP. She has given up only 8 runs and 29 hits against 48 strikeouts and pitches 69% strikes.

Kimi Presnell has played all 18 games and is .170 batting, .170 slugging, and has a .278 OBP with 8 singles, 8 doubles, 2 sacrifices, 7 stolen bases, 6 runs, and 3 RBI on 47 at-bats.

Rachel Blair has played 17 games and is .182 batting, .182 slugging, and has a .280 OBP with 8 singles, 3 sacrifices, 8 runs, and 3 RBI on 44 at-bats.

Felicity Horn has played 16 games and is .244 batting, .341 slugging, and has a .456 OBP with 6 singles, 4 doubles, 4 sacrifices, 1 stolen base, 13 runs, and 5 RBI on 41 at-bats.

Makenna Skaggs has played 5 games and is .429 batting, .429 slugging, and has a .500 OBP with 3 singles, 5 runs, and 1 RBI on 7 at-bats.

Elizabeth Luttrell has played 3 games and is .200 batting, .200 slugging, and has a .333 OBP with 1 single on 5 at-bats.

Jensen Arnold has played 1 game and is 1.000 batting, 2.000 slugging, and has a 1.000 OBP with 1 double and 1 run on 1 at-bat.