Union wins two of three in Regional Series against Sand Springs

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (12-7) scored a pair of upsets at 9-2 and 9-3 over No. 10 Elk City (23-15) and No. 4 Union (24-6) respectively, before falling 1-0 in their second game against the Redskins. The Thursday afternoon Regional playoff was a double-elimination bracket, and Union rebounded from their first loss to the Sandites with a low-scoring game that saw only five total hits from the two teams. 

Game two against Union was far different from the first game which had twenty hits between the two teams. Senior Northeastern State University-signee Jessica Schuler (8-4) got the loss on the mound, despite giving up zero earned runs, and only two hits and two walks. 

The lone run of the game came on a sacrifice fly from Mackenzie Addis to score Jackie Self, who reached on an error in left field. The Lady Sandites stranded a total of four runners over the course of the game in their only shutout loss of the season. 

With each team holding a 2-1 tournament record, the Redskins avenged their earlier loss with a 16-2 payback for the Regional Title and a ticket to State. 

The host team took a quick 4-0 lead in the top of the first as Sammy Ibison and Lexy Dobson each singled, then scored on an error in left field that allowed Addis to reach second. Another error on the same play, this time at third base, allowed Addis to reach third. She soon after came home on a throw. Toni Weese doubled to bring in Paige Boyle, who also doubled.

Sydney Pennington hit her second homer of the day to get the Sandites on the board, but it would be the last run the girls scored till the bottom of the fourth.

Union added two more in the top of the fifth as Britton Clark doubled in Dobson and Brylee Dickinson sacrificed to bring in Addis. 

The top of the fourth is where the Redskins effectively put the win out of reach for the Sandites, racking up another six runs with four coming on errors. Kimi Presnell drew a walk for the Sandites and came in on a double by Madelyn Blair, but Union caked on three more runs in the top of the fifth. The Lady Sandites failed to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth and Union won it by mercy rule to end the season for the Sandites. 

Schuler got the loss on the mound in game two, with Stella Millican (4-3) pitching the final inning.

Photo galleries from Regionals and the rest of the season can be found at https://sanditepride.smugmug.com/2016-Slow-Pitch-Softball

Sydney Pennington scores 2 runs, 6 RBI, and a homer in 9-3 playoff victory over Union

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (12-5) traveled to Union Intermediate High School Thursday for the Regional Championship and won their first game 9-2 over No. 10 Elk City (23-14), then dominated the host team 9-3. Senior Northeastern State University signee Jessica Schuler (7-3) pitched both wins, giving up seven hits and five walks in the win over Union.

The No. 4 Redskins (22-6) started off with a 2-0 advantage in the first inning. Sammy Ibison reached base on an error at short stop to start the game, but Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington made up for it on the next play, outing the runner at second in a double play to clear the bases. Mackenzie Addis reached base on balls and was batted in on a double by Aaliyah Villalobos, who in turn scored on a single by Paige Boyle.

Sand Springs evened things up in the bottom of the inning as Kennedy "Goose" Salyers singled and came in on a home run by Pennington, her tenth this season. Union reclaimed the lead in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly by Jackie Self to score Toni Weese, and held it till the bottom of the fifth when the Sandites put the game in the bag.

Freshman Jacie Taber reached on an error, Salyers and Kimi Presnell singled to load the bases, and Pennington brought the lot home with a three-run go-ahead single. Madelyn Blair scored Pennington on a double to make it 6-3.

The Lady Sandites iced the cake in the bottom of the sixth as Rachel Blair doubled in Kellie Johnson and scored on a sacrifice by Taber. Salyers hit a single and scored on yet another single from Pennington for the 9-3 lead.

The Sand Springs vs Union photo gallery can be found at https://sanditepride.smugmug.com/2016-Slow-Pitch-Softball/42816-Sand-Springs-vs-Union/

Lady Sandite Softball advances in playoffs with 9-2 victory over Elk City

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (11-5) breezed through its first opponent at the Regional playoff Thursday morning, handily defeating No. 10 Elk City (23-14) behind the steady arm of senior pitcher Jessica Schuler (7-2), who also hit the go-ahead first inning home run.

Schuler, who is signed to play for Northeastern State University in the fall, only gave up two runs and a handful of hits in the dominating performance that was all wrapped up in the first inning.

The Elkettes scored two runs in the top of the first inning, but from there it was the Sandites’ game. Schuler’s homer, her fourteenth of the season, scored Kennedy “Goose” Salyers and Sydney Pennington for the 3-2 lead and the girls only continued to rack up the runs from there.

In the bottom of the fourth Schuler singled and courtesy runner Kellie Johnson scored a run on an error. Jessica Collins doubled and came home on a fielder’s choice. The biggest offensive output came in the bottom of the fifth as Collins singled in Jacie Taber and Kimi Presnell. Madelyn Blair singled in Johnson and Stella Millican singled in Collins for the final run of the game. 

The Lady Sandites will get a brief break while Elk City battles the No. 4 Union Redskins (21-5), then Sand Springs will play take on the host team. 

The photo gallery from the first game can be found at https://sanditepride.smugmug.com/2016-Slow-Pitch-Softball/42816-Sand-Springs-vs-Elk-City

 

Sandite of the Week: Jessica Schuler

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This week Sandite Pride would like to recognize Charles Page High School senior Jessica Schuler for her consistent outstanding performances at all three slow pitch softball games last week. Schuler is the second-highest scorer on the team with 25 runs and 34 RBI this season and is the leading home-run hitter with 13 this season. She has the highest slugging average at 1.644 and is the only Lady Sandite to hit a grand slam this season.

This past week has been particularly notable for Schuler, who is signed to play for Northeastern State University this fall. In a Tuesday evening game against 2A No.3 ranked Barnsdall (23-4) the No.14 Lady Sandites (10-5) scored a 13-8 upset win with Schuler (6-2) on the mound. 

The Lady Panthers led 4-3 in the bottom of the third when Schuler scored a go-ahead 2RBI homer. Barnsdall had tied it back up at 8-8 in the top of the fifth, but once more it was Schuler to the rescue with a grand slam to make it 12-8. Schuler pitched all seven innings and gave up 12 hits, 1 walk, and 8 earned runs with 1 strike out while throwing 43% strikes. 

On Thursday evening the Sandites had a close double-header rivalry match-up at Sapulpa. In the first game Schuler only got off a single on four at-bats, but she was instrumental in the second game.

Once more Schuler was on the mound, giving up just two earned runs and twelve hits over eight innings while throwing 73% strikes. Schuler got a base hit in the top of the second and courtesy runner Jensen Arnold scored the go-ahead on a Jacie Taber sacrifice. The Chieftains retook the lead in the bottom of the third, but in the top of the fourth Schuler hit a home run to tie it back up. Sapulpa battled back to a 6-6 tie by the top of the fifth and it held through extra innings till Sydney Pennington scored Kimi Presnell, then came home on a single by Schuler to ice the cake. 

The Sandites have just two game-days left in the regular season and will play next at Bixby (5-14) on Tuesday.

Lady Sandites sweep Sapulpa rivals in double-header victories

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

A new chapter of the Highway 97 Rivalry was written Thursday night at Chieftain Softball Stadium as the Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (10-5) dealt their nemesis back-to-back losses. In the first battle, Sand Springs led for the entirety of the game. Sapulpa rallied from an 8-2 deficit thanks to a pair of home runs by Analys Gloden, who is signed to Rose State College. Ultimately Sand Springs held on for the 8-7 win behind pitcher and Mid-American Christian University-signee Stella Millican (4-3).

In game two it was Northeastern State University-signee Jessica Schuler (6-2) with the win on the mound, giving up just two earned runs and twelve hits over eight innings. The Lady Sandites committed more than half a dozen errors over the course of the game, many resulting in runs. Ally Skaggs got the loss for Sapulpa.

Sand Springs wasted no time in getting on base, landing two hits on two pitches as Southwestern Oklahoma State University-signee Kennedy "Goose" Salyers hit a leadoff single, followed by a first-pitch double from Kimi Presnell. Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington doubled to score both runners for the 2-0 advantage.

Sapulpa wasn't content to trail this time and promptly tied things up in the same inning. Taylor Acree, who pitched the loss in the first game, scored on a single by Kristen Moore. Next was Gloden who scored the equalizer on a single by Coffeyville Community College-signee Raini Deeringwater.

Jensen Arnold reclaimed the lead for Sand Springs in the top of the second on a Jacie Taber sacrifice, but the Chieftains took their first lead of the game as Feather Roberts and Adrianna Butler scored on an error by Salyers. 

The back-and-forth scoring continued as Schuler hit a home run and Rachel Blair singled in Jessica Collins to make it 5-4. In the bottom of the fourth, Jessica Hobbs hit a single and picked up two more bases to score Azelea Fogleman on an error at first. Acree batted in Hobbs and Sapulpa had the 6-5 edge.

Rachel Blair singled in Collins in the top of the fifth to tie things up, and the score would hold at 6-6 till the top of the eighth. With two outs and two strikes, Presnell resurrected the Sandite offense on a do-or-die double into the left field fence. Pennington followed it up with a double of her own for the go-ahead run, then was batted in on a single by Schuler.

Sand Springs gave up a single to Blakely Alden, but Skaggs, Adriana Banks, and Roberts were each put out by Pennington for the victory. 

The Sandites return to action next Tuesday on a road game at Bixby (5-14). Sapulpa plays Memorial (4-16) next Tuesday, then the Highway 97 foes will get a rematch in yet another double-header next Thursday in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Lady Sandites prevail 8-7 over Sapulpa despite two late homers from Gloden

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

In classic Highway 97 Rivalry fashion, the Sand Springs vs Sapulpa slow pitch softball game wasn’t decided till the final pitch. No. 14 ranked Charles Page High School (9-5) visited their arch rival, the Sapulpa Lady Chieftains (5-12) for a double header Thursday evening and won the first game by a single run.

Mid-American Christian University-signee Stella Millican (4-3) earned herself a winning record on the mound, while Taylor Acree got the loss for Sapulpa.

The first inning was scoreless for both teams, but Jessica Collins scored the go-ahead run on a single from Millican in the top of the second. Rachel Blair batted in her sister, Madelyn, then Millican came home on a throw. Freshman Jacie Taber tripled to score the elder Blair, then Kennedy “Goose” Salyers singled to score Taber for the 5-0 advantage.

The Lady Sandites added to their lead as Jessica Collins and Sydney Pennington scored on an error in the top of the third to make it 7-0. The home team finally began to rally in the bottom of the third as Acree walked to load the bases and Rose State College-signee Analys Gloden singled in Feather Roberts and Jessica Hobbs.

Sand Springs increased the lead to 8-2 in the top of the fifth, but Sapulpa exploded for four more runs in as Acree doubled to score Roberts and Gloden smacked a homer to score Acree and Hobbs.

Acree gave up only one single over the next two innings and it came down to the bottom of the seventh. Down by two, things began to look hopeful as Gloden hit yet another homer, but Kali Husman and Kristen Moore were both put out and Sand Springs held on for the win.