Jessica Schuler pitches 13-8 upset over No.3 Barnsdall and hits Grand Slam

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (8-5) dealt the 2A No. 3 Barnsdall Lady Panthers (23-4) only their fourth loss this season in a back-and-forth shootout that saw a combined nine home runs between the two teams, including a grand slam by Lady Sandite pitcher Jessica Schuler (5-2).

Schuler, a Northeastern State University signee, scored 6 RBI on two home runs while pitching 12 hits, 1 walk, and 1 strikeout for the win. Schuler leads her team in home runs this season, having scored 12 over 13 games, and is the only player to hit a grand slam.

The Lady Panthers boasted several impressive sluggers of their own, including Ciara McCabe who gave her team the first run of the game on a homer in the first inning. 

Junior Jessica Collins retaliated for the Lady Sandites, smacking a double to score Sydney Pennington and Kellie Johnson in the bottom of the first for a 2-1 lead.

Barnsdall reclaimed their lead in the top of the third on a home run from Maria Quesada, followed by a homer from Alyssa Babb that scored Courtney Berry for the 4-2 advantage.

Sand Springs had an explosive inning in the third, kicked off by a double from Pennington to score Presnell. Schuler hit her first homer of the evening to score Pennington, Cameron Clemons singled in Collins, and Jacie Taber doubled to score Rachel Blair. The Panthers stranded one in the fourth and Sand Springs came back in to make it 8-4 on a home run by Pennington.

In the top of the fifth, Babb batted in Bailey Walker and Cecilia Jones on loaded bases, then McCabe and Jasmine Shores hit back-to-back home runs in the sixth to tie the game up. 

The Lady Sandites put it away in the bottom of the inning, however, as Schuler sent one over the fence for a grand slam, scoring Taber, Salyers, and Pennington. Collins followed it up with a first pitch home run and Schuler pitched a no-hitter in the top of the seventh to secure the victory. 

Sand Springs has just three game days left before Regionals. This Thursday they'll play a double-header at Sapulpa (5-11) with the first game beginning at 4:30 pm. 

Berryhill Maidens edge out Lady Sandite Softball in extra innings

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Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School slow-pitch softball team (1-3) is well behind where they should be for the season after starting several weeks behind the rest of the state. The first several games were cancelled due to the other teams not having enough players, leaving the young Lady Sandites lacking in adequate slow pitch experience. Offensively the Sandites are consistently hitting to the fence, but fielding has been plagued with errors for unearned hits and runs. 

After dropping losses to Jenks and Tahlequah on Tuesday, the girls finally got in the win column Thursday evening at Berryhill against the Locust Grove Lady Pirates (3-7). Junior Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington hit two home-runs and batted in four in the 16-5 six-inning run-rule victory. Senior Northeastern State University-signee Jessica Schuler (1-0) got the win on the mound and also hit a homer.

The 5A No.13 Berryhill Maidens (6-4) would be a far tougher opponent, however.

Pennington doubled in the first to score Kennedy "Goose" Salyers, then came home on a Jessica Collins sacrifice. Madelyn Blair tripled to score Schuler, who was intentionally walked, and was stranded as the Maidens came in trailing 3-0.

Alyson Cramer doubled for Berryhill and came in on a Kaelee Escoe homer in the bottom of the first. The Lady Sandites responded quickly as Cameron Clemons singled, Jacie Taber doubled, and Salyers sacrificed to score Clemons. Kimi Presnall batted in Taber with a double, Pennington batted in Presnall with a double, and the Sandites furthered their lead to 6-2. 

The home team tied things up in the bottom of the third as Escoe singled and came in on a Cramer homer, then Kennedy Zimmerman singled to score Cooper Lawley and Ashlynn Inhofe. 

Both teams scattered hits throughout the next four innings, but neither managed a run and the game went into extra innings.

The Lady Sandites and Maidens each stranded one in the eighth, but in the top of the ninth Prenall homered in Rachel Blair and Salyers for the 9-6 advantage.

Jaeden Rosenquist hit a leadoff single for the Maidens, Escoe reached on a Presnall error, and Taylor Vaughan singled to load the bases with a single out. Rosenquist and Escoe came in on a double, then Shelby Harger singled to score Vaughan to tie it up. Baylie LaBarge was intentionally walked to load the bases and Kylie Crockett singled for the win.

Senior Mid-American Christian University-signee Stella Millican (0-3) got the loss on the mound for the Lady Sandites while LaBarge got the win for the Maidens. Sand Springs will return to action Monday at the Jenks festival.

Sandite of the Week: Rhett Rutledge

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This week Sandite Pride recognizes Charles Page High School senior Rhett Rutledge as Sandite of the Week for his outstanding performance at the Bixby Tournament this past weekend. 

Rutledge averaged .267 batting, .467 slugging, with a .368 OBP, and made his season pitching debut with a Championship round victory over the host team. 

The Sandites (12-3) won their fifth straight in the tournament opener 8-5 against Hilldale (6-9). Rutledge landed the first hit of the game with a triple and came in on the next play with a sacrifice fly from Jake Ward for the first run. He was walked on his next plate appearance and scored once more on a Hunter Greathouse double. He reached first on an error in the bottom of the sixth and scored his third run of the game on a Greathouse single. 

Their sixth straight victory was a come-from-behind extra-inning win over Union. Rutledge landed one hit in the top of the fifth and stole second on a passed ball, but was left stranded. The Sandites won that one 7-6 in eight innings. 

He failed to land a hit in the next two games (a 4-1 loss to Bixby and an 8-0 run-rule shut out of Life Prep Academy), but batted .667 in the finale and won the game on the mound. He struck out one in the first and gave up an unearned double. He grounded out on a sacrifice to score Jake Terry for a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. 

He scooped a grounder to put out a batter at first in the bottom of the second and struck out another for a no-hitter. He sacrificed again to score Treyce Tolbert in the top of the third, but gave up a run in the bottom of the inning. 

He pitched a no-hitter in the fifth, striking out one and putting out another at first on a grounder. He hit a leadoff line drive single in the top of the sixth and was batted in by Josh Taber. By the bottom of the sixth the Spartans were pushing hard for a rally and loaded the bases. Rutledge gave up one single, two runs, one earned run, and two walks before being relieved by Brock Youngblood. The Sandites went on to win the game 10-6 for the tournament championship.