CPHS Softball wins Bixby Tournament, remains undefeated in District Play

Junior pitcher Jacie Taber is undefeated on the mound this season.

The Charles Page High School fast pitch softball team (16-2 overall, 7-0 district) is in the middle of one of their best seasons in recent years, riding a nine-game winning streak and undefeated record in district play. 

Last week was a busy one for the Lady Sandites as they took on Stillwater in a district game before heading to the Bixby Tournament and sweeping the competition. On Tuesday the Sandites notched another district win over Ponca City, setting them up for a crucial conflict Thursday against the only other undefeated team in the district. The Sandites will take on Broken Arrow (24-3, 8-0) on the road Thursday before hosting the Tigers the following Tuesday.

While both the Sandites and Tigers boast impressive records, Broken Arrow in particular has been an offensive powerhouse, winning a large amount of their games by run-rule with double-digit leads. The two teams have played only four mutual opponents. While Sand Springs outscored their foes 53-14 over seven games, the Tigers hammered the same opponents 110-13 in eight games. 

Sand Springs has only two losses this year, 4-3 to Claremore (15-10) on the first day of the season, and 6-4 to 2A No. 1 Dale (26-1) last month. The Tigers have three losses: 8-3 to Moore (16-5), 3-1 to Edmond North (8-8), and 8-3 to Yukon (17-0). They are currently riding a thirteen-straight win streak. 

Last Tuesday the Sandites edged out Stillwater (7-8, 4-3) in a lackluster performance that could easily have gone sideways. University of Northern Iowa-commit Jacie Taber (11-0 season, 24-7 career) had an off night with eleven walks and six hits with only four strikeouts. 

Sand Springs scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third as Jensen Arnold doubled to score Cameron Clemons and Kimi Presnell hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Rachel Jones. Taber walked in a run on loaded bases in the next inning. Stillwater landed three hits in the top of the fifth to tie the game, but Sabrina Usher doubled to bring in Presnell in the bottom of the inning. 

Kinsey Skaggs came in on a single from Felicity Horn in the sixth inning, but the Pioneers tied it right back up in the seventh and the game came down to the wire. Presnell and Usher both landed base hits but were unable to score and the game went to extra innings. The Sandites made quick work of the Pioneer offense in the top of the eighth, then Clemons singled and scored on a hit from Makenna Skaggs for the win.

The Lady Sandites needed only two and a half innings to run-rule Tulsa Edison (1-19) 12-0 in the first round of the Bixby Tournament. Presnell was three-for-three at the plate with three RBI and one run. Jones (1-0) saw her first varsity action on the mound and gave up one hit and one walk with one strikeout over two innings. Aliyah Taff pitched the top of the third and recorded a save with one strikeout. 

Glenpool (7-15) was a slightly tougher opponent for the Sandites, who went a whole five innings before the tournament time limit secured the 5-2 win. Usher, Madelyn Blair, Horn, Clemons, and Kinsey Skaggs each recorded runs. Taber struck out five but gave up five hits and three walks.

The Sandites jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead against 4A Cushing (14-11) in the top of the first before the Tigers struck back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Neither team scored again till Presnell stole home in the top of the fourth. Blair (4-2, 17-4) got the win on the mound with one strikeout, one walk, five hits, and no earned runs.

On day two of the tournament the Sandites took on Union (18-8) and rolled to an 8-1 victory. The Redskins held a 1-0 lead after the first inning, but the Sandites scored runs in each of the next four innings. Presnell and Usher scored a pair of runs apiece and Makenna Skaggs batted in two runs. Taber was back to her usual self with seven strikeouts against only two hits and one walk. 

In the championship round, the Sandites breezed through Jenks with a 12-2 run-rule victory. Presnell, Usher, Elizabeth Luttrell each scored two runs apiece, complimented by runs from Makenna and Kinsey Skaggs, Blair, Horn, Clemons, and Taber. Blair was three-for-three at the plate and also got work done on the mound. She gave up three hits and two walks with two strikeouts. 

The Sandites extended their weekend success into district play Tuesday with a 3-0 shutout of Ponca City (17-8, 3-5). Horn scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Taber. Blair hit a single in the sixth inning and came in on Luttrell's second home run of the season. Taber struck out eight, walked two, and gave up five hits in the win.