Lady Sandite Softball hammers Jay 14-2 in three innings

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Photo: Scott Emigh

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (23-6) dropped the hammer on Jay (16-15) Saturday afternoon at the Northeastern State University high school tournament and needed only three innings to secure a 14-2 victory. Madelyn Blair (10-2) got the start and win on the mound with one hit, two runs, and three walks in one inning. Makenna Skaggs (0-0) made her varsity pitching debut and threw two strikeouts with one hit in two innings at the mound.

SEE RELATED: Jacie Taber pitches no-hitter in 1-0 tournament win over Muskogee

SEE RELATED: Elizabeth Luttrell's three-run homer secures 4-0 shutout over Moore

Jay took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first after Marissa Lokey and Jessie Summerfield both drew walks. Jade Creekkiller reached on a fielder's choice to out courtesy runner McKenzie Buzzard at third, and Caitlin Taylor walked to load the bases. Haley Dry sent a double into left field to score Summerfield and Creekkiller for the brief lead, but it wouldn't last long.

Dry went to the mound in the bottom of the first and gave up a walk to Felicity Horn who scored on a triple from Oklahoma State commit Sydney Pennington. Jacie Taber walked and Blair reached on a failed fielder's choice to load the bases. Skaggs went in to run for Blair. Sabrina Usher reached on a failed fielder's choice to score Pennington, Cameron Clemons walked to score Taber, and Kimi Presnell reached on an error to score Skaggs and Usher. Elizabeth Luttrell singled to score Clemons for the 6-2 advantage, but was put out advancing on the play and Jessica Collins grounded out to third to bring the scoring melee to an end.

Skaggs took the mound in the top of the second and struck out Jade Frazier swinging. Lokey popped an infield fly to Presnell at second base, and Kyla Rogers was put out at first on a dropped third strike.

The Sandites tacked on five more runs in the bottom of the second. Pennington and Taber were both put out to start the inning, but the girls got on track as Blair reached on an error and Usher hit a single. Skaggs ran courtesy for Blair and scored on a single from Clemons. Usher came home on a single from Presnell, and Luttrell singled to score Clemons. Horn put the exclamation mark on the inning with a two-run triple to score Presnell and Luttrell, but was put out at home to bring the inning to a close at 11-2. 

Creekkiller hit a double in the top of the third but was left stranded to bring in the Sandites for the duration.

Collins drew a walk to start things off and was joined on base by Pennington and Taber who hit singles. Collins scored on a passed ball and Usher hit a two-run single to bring in Pennington and Taber as time expired and the girls won 14-2. 

Elizabeth Luttrell's three-run homer secures 4-0 shutout over Moore

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (22-6) traveled to Tahlequah Friday for the Northeastern State University high school tournament and secured a pair of wins behind pitchers Jacie Taber (9-4) and Madelyn Blair (9-2). Elizabeth Luttrell hit her first career home-run in a 4-0 shutout of District One Runner-Up Moore (23-5) to score three runs. 

SEE RELATED: Jacie Taber pitches no-hitter in 1-0 tournament win over Muskogee

SEE RELATED: Lady Sandite Softball hammers Jay 14-2 in three innings

The two teams were knotted up for the most of the game and it was anyone's game till Luttrell put it away in the bottom of the fourth. 

Blair hit two batters in the top of the first, but both were left stranded as the other three grounded out. Jessica Collins landed the first hit of the game in the bottom of the first with a single to short, but was left stranded. Neither team got on base in the second inning.

In the top of the third Kennedy Jackson singled and was joined on base by Kamrie Harrison, but both were stranded. Kimi Presnell put the Sandites ahead in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff double to left field and scored on a single from freshman Felicity Horn. Horn was put out at second, but Collins and Pennington singled and Taber was walked to load the bases. Moore saved the inning, however, as Madelyn Blair flied out to second base.

The Lions threatened in the top of the fourth as Carlee Geissler singled and Taylor McKittrick was hit by pitch. They were both replaced by courtesy runners who were both put out on fielders' choices in the corresponding plays to prevent a run.

In the bottom of the fourth Presnell and Sabrina Usher both singled and came home on Luttrell's home run for the 4-0 advantage. 

Amanda Moreno hit a double in the top of the fifth and Pennington was walked in the bottom, but neither scored and the game came to a close with the Sandites' twelfth shutout win of the season. It was the first time this year that the Lions had been shut out and brought an end to their six-straight winning streak. 

Blair got the win on the mound with three hits, zero runs, one strikeout, and four walks. Presnell was two-for-two at the plate with two runs, a single, and a double.

Jacie Taber pitches no-hitter in 1-0 tournament win over Muskogee

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Photo: Scott Emigh

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sophomore pitcher Jacie Taber (9-4) pitched the first no-hitter of her career in a low-scoring 1-0 victory over Muskogee (7-15) Friday afternoon in Tahlequah. The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (21-6) traveled to the Northeastern State University high school tournament Friday and edged out the Lady Roughers with five hits and a single run.

SEE RELATED: Elizabeth Luttrell's three-run homer secures 4-0 shutout over Moore

SEE RELATED: Lady Sandite Softball hammers Jay 14-2 in three innings

Taber got off to a great start, striking out the first batter of the game. The Lady Sandites came in to bat and started off with a single from freshman Felicity Horn. Horn was put out on a fielder's choice that allowed Jessica Collins to reach base. Oklahoma State commit Sydney Pennington singled, but was left stranded with Taber, who reached on a fielder's choice that outed Collins, after Madelyn Blair flied out to left field.

Taber gave up a walk in the top of the second but struck out one batter and two others flied out. Muskogee pitcher Elexis Watson walked Sabrina Usher and Rachel Blair in the bottom of the inning, but struck out Cameron Clemons and Kimi Presnell and stranded the two runners as Horn grounded out to first base.

Kayleigh Phillips was hit by pitch in the top of the third and her courtesy runner was put out on a fielder's choice to reach Phynix Coleman who was ultimately left stranded. 

The Sandites finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third as Pennington, Taber, and Madelyn Blair all singled to load the bases. Usher lined out to center field and Pennington scored after tagging up. Blair was left stranded, however, as courtesy runner Makenna Skaggs was put out at third on a fielder's choice to end the inning with a 1-0 lead.

Rachel Blair walked in the bottom of the fourth, but she would be the only runner to get on base for the duration of the game and the Sandites secured the win as the tournament time limit expired in the bottom of the fifth.

Taber struck out four batters and only walked two in the first no-hitter of her career. She holds a 0.77 ERA having given up only nine earned runs this season in 82 innings pitched. Pennington was two-for-two at the plate with two singles and the lone run of the game. She continues to lead the Sandites in batting with a .521 batting average.