CPHS Softball: Sandites win Highway 97 Rivalry 18-2 over Sapulpa

After losing five games in a row at this weekend’s Broken Arrow Tournament, the Charles Page High School fast pitch softball team (5-5, 2-0) rebounded perfectly Tuesday evening with a lopsided 18-2 run-rule win over their Highway 97 rivals from Sapulpa (4-5, 1-2). The victory moved the Sandites back into first place in district standings.

Sand Springs dominated every aspect of the game, outhitting the Chieftains 15 to 5 with no errors, 6 stolen bases, and eight strikeouts from freshman pitcher Nataley Crawford (2-1).

The Chieftain pitching crew struggled, with Ally Zanca throwing ten hits, one strikeout, and nine walks in only three innings. The team also committed four errors.

Crawford took a minute to warm up, walking two in the first inning, but struck out two more to strand the runners. Sapulpa walked three of their own, but stranded the side to keep the game scoreless.

Crawford got her team on the board with an RBI single in the second, bringing in Rachel Jones, then Jolee McNally singled to score Crawford and Madison Lee. Sabrina Usher hit her fourth home run of the season for a 5-0 lead. Makenna Skaggs scored on an error, Felicity Horn scored on a sacrifice fly from Jones, Avery Tanner scored on a wild pitch, and Drew Hawkins scored on a single from Lee to make it 9-0 before the inning came to a close.

Crawford struck out the side in order to kick off the third inning, then Sand Springs quickly loaded the bases. Skaggs doubled and scored on a sacrifice from Jones, Horn and Tanner scored on an error, and Hawkins scored on a double from Crawford. Lee and McNally scored on a single from Skaggs, then Skaggs and Usher scored on a single from Horn for the 17-0 advantage.

Crawford tallied the final Sandite run on an error, and Sapulpa stranded loaded bases to avert further disaster. The Chieftains finally began to make headway in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with a single and two walks. Lexi Cahwee hit a 2RBI single to score Jessica Elliott and Kylissa Williams, but was left stranded as the game came to an early end via run-rule.

Sand Springs will return to action Thursday at 10:00 a.m. when they play Claremore (5-3) in the first round of the Rogers State University festival, followed by Coweta (4-5) at 11:30 a.m.

District 6A-3 Standings
2-0 Sand Springs (5-5)
2-0 Owasso (6-2)
1-0 Jenks (6-3)
2-1 Muskogee (2-3)
1-1 Shawnee (2-7)
1-2 Sapulpa (4-5)
0-5 Ponca City (1-5)

District 6A-3 Thursday Schedule
5:00 p.m. Jenks at Muskogee.
6:00 p.m. Owasso at Sapulpa.