Sydney Pennington and Jessica Collins make All-State Fast Pitch team

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The High School Fast Pitch Softball season came to a close several weeks ago as the Charles Page team fell 10-2 at the State Tournament. The girls finished the season with 30 wins to only 8 losses, took second place in their district, and won the Regional Tournament for the second-straight year. 

Two Sandite Seniors were named to the Oklahoma Large East All-State team. Oklahoma State University commit Sydney Pennington was selected as a midfielder and Jessica Collins was selected as a utility player. 

Pennington finished her Senior year with a .543 batting average with 27 singles, 19 doubles, 1 triple, 10 home runs, 38 RBI and 45 runs on 105 at-bats. Those numbers would be a lot higher if coaches weren't too afraid to pitch to her. Pennington was walked 31 times this season, most of which was intentional. She never once struck out, and she was two for two on base stealing. She was also in on five double plays. In addition to playing short stop, she also spent time on the mound and pitched just under forty innings. She finished the season undefeated with a 6-0 record, 1.41 ERA, and 1.135 WHIP (Walks + Hits per innings pitched). She threw 61% strikes. 

Collins finished the year with a .316 batting average with 29 singles, 7 doubles, 22 RBI, 39 runs, and 19 sacrifices on 114 at-bats. She was five for six on base stealing and was involved in one double play. Her older sister, Mallory, was also an All-State player in 2013. 

The addition of Pennington and Collins brings the all-time Sand Springs All-State roster to 39. Only nine schools had more than one All State player on the two Large teams. Only four teams had three All-State players, and Sand Springs only even had three Seniors. 

The whole team was recognized at Monday evening's Sand Springs Board of Ed meeting. Head Coach Shelli Brown was presented with a Coin of Excellence and the team received a plaque recognizing their accomplishments. The girls fell short of the State Title on the diamond, but they were named the Academic State Champions with a team GPA of 3.85. School Superintendent Sherry Durkee expressed her opinion that the Academic State Championship was even more impressive and important than the athletic Championship.

The All-State game will be played in June at Oklahoma Christian University in Edmond.

2016 Lady Sandite roster:

Jensen Arnold
Madelyn Blair
Rachel Blair
Cameron Clemons
Jessica Collins
Felicity Horn
Rachel Jones
Elizabeth Luttrell
Sydney Pennington
Kimi Presnell
Makenna Skaggs
Jacie Taber
Sabrina Usher

 

All-State Lady Sandites:

1986 - Tina Smalley, Ashley Burgess
1987 - Andi Sallee, Tricia Spencer
1988 - Cori Jones
1990 - Danielle Miller, Marsha Rogers
1993 - Jamie Pennington, Kendra Williams
1994 - Debra Collins, Rachel Phillips
1995 - Tiffany Redding, Jenny Kennemer
1996 - Jennifer Bottoms
1997 - Tauni Kennemer, Angie Smalley
1999 - Shawna Wright
2000 - Lindsey Dyer, Brandi Horn
2001 - Patty Keho, Jessica Clark, Danielle Blackwell
2002 - Erin Bouse
2003 - Amanda Hale, Sara Dyer
2004 - Melanie Skinner
2006 - Alyssa Poole
2008 - Ashlynn Kelley
2010 - Madison Thompson, Darrian Williams, Joely Rogers
2012 - Taylor Perdue
2013 - Mallory Collins, Hailey Andrews, Kasey Burgess
2015 - Jessica Schuler, Kennedy "Goose" Salyers
2016 - Sydney Pennington, Jessica Collins. 

Lady Sandite Softball ends season 30-9 with 10-2 loss to Mustang

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (30-9) saw their season come to a close at the State Championship quarterfinals in Oklahoma City Thursday afternoon. The Lady Sandites advanced to the State Tournament with their second-straight Regional Championship and met the Mustang Broncos (33-6) for the second-straight year. Last year Sand Springs ended the Broncos' season en route to a State Finals appearance, but this year it would be Mustang with the payback win.

The game started off close enough as both CPHS sophomore pitcher Jacie Taber (11-7) and Mustang junior Kylie Dodson gave up few hits in the first couple of innings, and the score was tied 1-1 till the bottom of the third. That's when things fell apart for the Sandites. 

In the top of the first inning the Sandites landed three runners on base with two hits. Freshman Felicity Horn started the game off with a walk, but was called out on a controversial offensive interference call on a single from Jessica Collins. Horn collided with second baseman Zoey Jones who chased Collins's groundball into the baseline directly in front of Horn. Oklahoma State committed senior Sydney Pennington sent a single into right field on the next play, sending Collins to third. Collins then scored on a groundout from Taber, and the inning came to a close with a groundout from sophomore Elizabeth Luttrell.

Mustang tied things up in the bottom of the inning as MacKenzie Donohoo singled to start, reached third on an error by freshman catcher Sabrina Usher, and tagged up to score on a fly out from Jones.

The Sandites stranded Kimi Presnell in the second on a single, and Horn in the third on a walk, while Taber pitched a no-hitter in the bottom of the second. 

Mustang took the definitive lead in the bottom of the third. Freshman Kayla Mantooth singled and made third on an error that put Anna Hammer on first. Donihoo singled to score Mantooth, Jones flied out, and Audrie Morrison singled to score Hammer.

With Donihoo on third and Morrison on first, Dodson was walked to load the bases. Karis Clark was next to bat and sent a homer over the left field fence for the 7-1 lead. Mustang didn't stop there. 

After Kaitlyn Thomas flied out to Pennington, Amelya Huggins sent a double along the same path as Clark's homer, but it dropped just short of the fence and Horn was quick to hold the runner to second. Mantooth sent a pop fly to Presnell and the disastrous inning was brought to a close.

Sand Springs went into a dry spell on hits after that. Mustang stranded Jones on a double in the fourth and Thomas on a single in the fifth, and the Sandites didn't get on base till the top of the sixth. 

In the top of the sixth Collins flied out in foul territory and Pennington tipped a grounder to the pitcher, but Taber got things back on track with a line drive double to left field. Courtesy runner Makenna Skaggs came home on a right field single from Luttrell to make it 7-2, but Usher grounded out to first to end the offensive.

Mustang added three more runs in the bottom of the inning as Mantooth singled and scored on a double from Jones. Morrison followed it up with a double to score Jones and advanced to third on an illegal pitch. Dodson singled to score Jones and Mustang took the lead 10-2.

The Lady Sandites tried to stage a rally in the top of the seventh and put two on base. Rachel Blair drew a walk and Horn singled, but both were left stranded as Mustang secured their ninth straight win and advanced to play Moore (30-6) in the semifinals. 

Taber gave up twelve hits, eight earned runs, and one walk in the game. This was her first game of the season without a strikeout. The Sandites scattered six hits over the game and reached on two walks. 

The Lady Sandites end the season 30-9 with a fifth place finish at the Broken Arrow Tournament, a third place finish at the Northeastern State University tournament, a Regional Championship, and a second place finish in the district. They will graduate three seniors this year in Sydney Pennington, Rachel Blair, and Jessica Collins.

Lady Sandite Softball will take on Mustang in the State Quarterfinals Thursday

Photo: Scott Emigh

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (30-8) is headed to State for the second-straight year after winning their fourteenth Regional Championship last weekend. The District Runner-Up team boasts a long roster of impressive athletes, and is a mostly young team with only three seniors.

The girls will travel to Oklahoma City Thursday and will take on the Mustang Broncos (32-6-1) at 1:30 p.m. on Field 3 of the ASA Hall of Fame Softball Complex. The Sandites and Broncos have yet to meet this year, nor have the Sandites met any of the five teams to beat the Broncos this year. Mustang is, however, undefeated against teams that have beaten the Sandites. They went 1-0 against Jenks, who the Sandites are 1-1 against. They beat Union 5-3 while Sand Springs fell 4-3. They have a win and a tie with Yukon, who the Sandites are 1-1 against. 

A win against Mustang will pit the Sandites against the winner of Owasso (35-3) vs. Moore (29-6). The Sandites have met Owasso only once, on the second gameday of the season, and lost 2-1 in extra innings at the Broken Arrow tournament. Sand Springs has met Moore only once, and dealt them a 4-0 loss at the NSU tournament. The semi final game will be Friday at 2:30, also on Field 3. 

If Sand Springs makes it to the finals, they could play Southmoore (33-2), Union (31-10), Westmoore (28-9), or Yukon (27-6). The Sandites haven't played Southmoore or Westmoore this season. They've met Union once and lost, and split two games with Yukon. The finals will be Saturday at 5:00 p.m.

Last year the Sandites were 29-8 going into the State tournament and were district co-champions after splitting games with Yukon. They ended Mustang (33-9)'s five-game winning streak in the quarterfinals 14-6. In the semifinals they ended Moore (34-5)'s thirteen-game winning streak 5-3, but became the thirteenth-straight win for Choctaw (36-7) 4-3 in the Championship game. 

This year the Sandites have played one more game than last year, but otherwise have a nearly identical record overall. In district play they lost two more games than last year and were district runners-up to Yukon, who they split with. The girls have lost some slugging power in Jessica Schuler (.514 batting), Kennedy "Goose" Salyers (.387), and Kalli Mallory (.351), but have improved defensively with fourteen shutouts this season compared to eight last year. This season they win by an average score of 7-2 compared to last year's 7-3. Their batting has drastically improved from the first half of the season to the latter, as well. In their first nineteen games they surpassed ten hits six times and averaged .291 as a team. In the last nineteen games they surpassed ten hits ten times and averaged .360 as a team. 

Oklahoma State University committed senior Sydney Pennington (6-0) is undefeated on the mound this season, but spends most of her time at short stop where she has had a hand in 5 double plays this season. She currently holds a .549 batting average on 102 at bats this season, with 26 singles, 19 doubles, 1 triple, 10 home runs, 38 RBI (runs batted in), and 45 runs. Coaches frequently won't even allow their teams to pitch to her, and she has been walked 31 times this season--usually intentionally. She has not been struck out once. She gets on base more than 65% of the time and has 2 stolen bases this season. She has not been caught stealing. At the mound she is equally dangerous with a 1.41 ERA (earned run average) and 1.135 WHIP (walks + hits per innings pitched) on 39.6 innings pitched. She has faced 160 batters this season and has given up 23 hits, 18 walks, 9 runs, and 8 earned runs with 29 strikeouts. She throws 61% strikes and has only thrown 6 wild pitches and hit 4 batters this season. 

Sophomore first baseman Elizabeth Luttrell has been in on 2 double plays this season and is sitting at a .426 batting average on 54 at-bats, with 15 singles, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, 18 RBI, and 19 runs.

Sophomore pitcher, shortstop, and third baseman Madelyn Blair (13-2) holds an impressive record on the mound and has been in on 4 double plays this season. She currently holds a .342 batting average on 117 at-bats with 30 singles, 10 doubles, 4 sacrifices, 32 RBI, and 11 runs. She has stolen 1 base and been caught stealing 1 time. At the mound she holds a 1.41 ERA and 1.198 WHIP on 74.3 innings pitched. She has faced 314 batters this season and has given up 55 hits, 17 walks, 23 runs, 15 earned runs, with 53 strikeouts. She throws 69% strikes and has only thrown 2 wild pitches and hit 17 batters this season.

Freshman courtesy runner Makenna Skaggs has racked up the runs for our pitchers this season while seeing limited action at the plate. She holds a .333 batting average on 12 at-bats with 4 singles, 2 RBI, and 21 runs.

Freshman catcher Sabrina Usher holds a .327 batting average on 104 at-bats this season with 17 singles, 16 doubles, 1 home run, 2 sacrifices, 25 RBI, and 25 runs. She has stolen 1 base, been caught stealing once, and been picked off once. 

Senior outfielder Jessica Collins has seen a lot of action in center field this season and has made numerous wild catches to prevent base hits, and has been involved in 1 double play. She currently holds a .324 batting average on 111 at bats this season with 29 singles, 7 doubles, 18 sacrifices, 22 RBI, and 38 runs. She has stolen 5 bases and only been caught stealing once. 

Freshman outfielder Felicity Horn holds a .297 batting average on 101 at-bats this season, with 22 singles, 6 doubles, 2 triples, 4 sacrifices, 14 RBI, and 32 runs. She has stolen 1 base and been caught stealing once. 

Sophomore pitcher and left fielder Jacie Taber (11-6) holds a .292 batting average on 113 at-bats this season, with 23 singles, 9 doubles, 1 home run, 5 sacrifices, 20 RBI, and 19 runs. She has stolen 3 bases and been caught stealing twice. She holds a 1.38 ERA on the mound with a 1.134 WHIP on 112 innings pitched. She has faced 467 batters this season and has given up only 66 hits, 34 walks, 36 runs, 22 earned runs, with 98 strikeouts. She throws 66% strikes and has only thrown 5 wild pitches and hit 27 batters.

Sophomore second baseman Kimi Presnell has been in on 7 double plays this season and holds a .280 batting average on 107 at-bats, with 24 singles, 6 doubles, 4 sacrifices, 16 RBI, and 22 runs. She has stolen 11 bases and only been caught stealing twice. 

Sophomore third baseman Cameron Clemons has been in on 1 double play this season and holds a .274 batting average on 73 at-bats, with 15 singles, 5 doubles, 9 sacrifices, 17 RBI, and 16 runs. 

Senior outfielder Rachel Blair holds a .176 batting average on 74 at-bats this season, with 11 singles, 2 doubles, 6 sacrifices, 5 RBI and 12 runs. 

Jensen Arnold has seen limited play this season and currently holds a .500 batting average on 10 at-bats with 1 single, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 3 RBI, and 4 runs.

Freshman first baseman Rachel Jones hasn't seen much action this season, but has been in on one double play. She holds a .000 batting average on 4 at-bats. 

Sandite Softball wins Regional Championship 7-5 over Stillwater

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (30-8) is headed to the State Championship for the second year in a row after winning their fourteenth Regional Championship in a three-game thriller against Stillwater (25-14). For the second year in a row the Lady Sandites had to battle their way up through the consolation bracket with a Thursday afternoon triple-header, and for the second year in a row they did it with style. 

After suffering a come-from-behind 9-7 loss to the Pioneers Wednesday evening, the Sandites scored a 5-2 victory over Claremore (12-23), then got payback on Stillwater with a 9-5 victory to force a tie-breaker. In the Regional Finals, the Sandites once again trumped their foes, this time 7-5.

It was a shootout from the beginning with Taylor Tuck, Morgan Rohwer, Taylor Lane, and Laikyn Anderson all singling. The latter two scored the first two and Hunter White was hit by pitch to load the bases. With two outs on the board, Oklahoma State committed shortstop Sydney Pennington caught an impressive line drive to put out Sage Fluty and save the inning. 

Freshman Felicity Horn made it as far as third base in the bottom of the first, singling and picking up a pair of sacrifices, but was left stranded. Alexis Hoang was hit by pitch in the top of the second but was also left stranded.  

The Sandites tied things up in the bottom of the second. Sabrina Usher reached on an error and Kimi Presnell singled. Both scored on a single from Madelyn Blair. 

Anderson sent a double into the centerfield fence and scored on a single from Sage Fluty to regain the lead at 3-2, but the Sandites surged ahead from there. 

Usher doubled in the bottom of the third to score Makenna Skaggs, then Presnell singled to score both Usher and Elizabeth Luttrell for the 5-3 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Pennington sent a homerun over the centerfield fence to score Jessica Collins and make it 7-3. 

Neither team scored in the fifth or sixth innings and the Pioneers needed four runs in the seventh just to stay alive. It wasn't impossible, they had already beat the Sandites once with seven runs in the seventh.   Hoang was hit by pitch and scored on a sacrifice from Rohwer. Tuck hit a single and scored on a sacrifice from Lane. With two outs and Anderson on base, White hit a ground ball to Luttrell at first and the game was over, 7-5. 

Taber got the win on the mound with nine hits and four walks against three strikeouts.  

The Lady Sandites will travel to ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City next Thursday for round one of the Oklahoma 6A State Championship. Last year the girls made it all the way to the finals and lost 4-3 to Choctaw. 

Lady Sandites beat Stillwater 9-5, play Regional Championship at 5:00

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

After beating Claremore (12-23) twice in two days to stay alive in the Regional Tournament, the Charles Page High School varsity softball team (29-8) got a rematch with Stillwater (25-13) and prevailed 9-5. With both teams holding one loss to the other, they will play the deciding game of the Regional Championship at 5:00 p.m. 

The Sandites took the initial lead in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from freshman Sabrina Usher to score Sydney Pennington.  

The Lady Pioneers were quick to tie it up in the top of the second as Hunter White reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a throwing error from Felicity Horn to Elizabeth Luttrell. 

Stillwater took the lead in the top of the third thanks to a series of errors and walks. Julia Cottrill reached on an error by Jessica Collins and Alexis Hoang hit what should have been a bunt sacrifice but reached on an error by Luttrell. Taylor Tuck singled to load the bases and Laikyn Anderson was walked to score courtesy runner Landry Leming. White was hit by pitch on the next play to walk in Hoang for the 3-1 advantage. Luttrell averted further runs, catching a foul zone fly out and the Sandites came in to reclaim the lead.  

Pennington, an Oklahoma State commit, started off the bottom of the third with a fence hitting, ball-beating slide for a double and was joined on base by Jacie Taber who reached on error. Luttrell was next up with a fence hitting double to right field, scoring Pennington, then Usher hit a 2RBI double to bring both runners in and take the lead 4-3.  

Stillwater wasn't going down without a fight, and Hoang sent a Homerun over the centerfield fence to score Leming for the 5-4 advantage.  

The bottom of the fourth was plagued by errors for the Pioneers and Sand Springs capitalized. Collins reached on error, Pennington reached on fielder's choice, Taber reached on error, and Luttrell reached on error to score Pennington. Usher reached on a fielder's choice that outted Taber, but Usher and Luttrell both scored on a 2RBI double from Rachel Blair for the 7-5 advantage. 

Sand Springs switched pitchers from Madelyn Blair (12-2) to Taber (10-6) in the top of the fifth and gave up a pair of singles before finding their rhythm. 

Coming in to bat the bottom of the fifth, Horn singled and was joined on base Pennington with a walk. Both runners scored on a double from Taber for a 9-5 lead. Taber was stranded along with Luttrell.  

 Neither team fielded a hit in the sixth inning and it was on Stillwater to make some big plays in the seventh. Morgan Rohwer was hit by pitch to start things off, but her courtesy runner was put out on the pitch in a double play from Pennington to Luttrell. Taber wrapped things up with a strikeout of Anderson to secure the game. 

Blair got the win on the mound with five hits, three walks, and five runs. Taber finished with one strikeout, two hits, and one walk.  

Sandite Softball holds on for 5-2 playoff victory over Claremore

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (28-8) found themselves in the consolation bracket Thursday afternoon after a 9-7 loss to Stillwater (25-12) during the Regional Tournament. After beating Claremore (12-23) 8-0 in the first round of the tournament, the Sandites would need to beat them once more to get another shot at the Lady Pioneers. 

The Lady Zebras got on the board first with a run in the bottom of of the first, but the Sandites tied things up in the top of the second with a sacrifice by Kimi Presnell to score freshman Sabrina Usher.  

The first two Zebras to bat in the bottom of the second grounded out to Madelyn Blair at shortstop and Oklahoma State commit Sydney Pennington (6-0) got the strikeout to end the inning and bring in her team for another offensive. Freshman Felicity Horn reached on an error to start the third. Jessica Collins reached on a fielder's choice and Horn made second on an error. Pennington singled to load the bases, and Elizabeth Luttrell batted in Collins to make it 3-1.

Pennington had a hand in all three putouts in the top of the fourth, catching a line drive from Kayleigh Schumacher, fielding a bunt from Sam Johnson, and striking out Abbey Mayfield. The Sandites added another run in the bottom of the inning as Presnell singled and scored on a sacrifice bunt from Collins.

Pennington struck out two batters in the bottom of the fourth and Searra Collins grounded out to short. Jacie Taber hit a lead off double to start the fifth and scored on a single from Luttrell to make it 5-1. Luttrell was put out at second on a single from Usher, Presnell drew a walk, and Madelyn Blair singled to load the bases. All three runners were left stranded however. 

The game went into a dry spell from there with no runs till the bottom of the seventh as the Zebras staged a comeback attempt. Collins hit a lead off double, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on a single from Alexis Williams. Pennington got a strikeout against Whisenhunt, but gave up a single to Reagan Jordan. Madelyn Blair (11-2) relieved Pennington on the mound and loaded the bases after hitting Schumacher with the pitch. Sam Johnson hit a pop fly to Horn at third and Blair struck out Abbey Mayfield to win the game 5-2.

The Sandites will take a brief reprieve to reset the field and will play a rematch with Stillwater. The Pioneers only need to beat Sand Springs once more to win the Region, but the Sandites will need back-to-back wins for the title. It's not an unfamiliar position for Sand Springs who made the comeback last year with four-straight wins after a round one loss. They won the region and went on to take second in State.