CPHS Softball: Madelyn Blair pitches 10-0 shutout of Sapulpa

Sand Springs - The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (10-4, 2-0) notched their fourth shutout of the season Thursday evening with a 10-0 rivalry beatdown of Sapulpa (2-14, 2-5) to remain undefeated in district action. 

Their second meeting of the season went much like the first, which Sand Springs won 11-0. The Sandites outhit the Chieftains ten to four and benefited from a handful of Sapulpa errors. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma-committed senior Madelyn Blair (5-1, 24-6) got the win on the mound with three strikeouts and one walk.

Half of Sapulpa's hits came in the top of the first; a single from Jessica Hobbs and a double from Morgan DeGraffenreid. Blair had a hand in all three outs, sending two ground balls to first and catching a line drive. Makenna Skaggs scored the first run of the game on a double from Sabrina Usher in the bottom of the inning.

Felicity Horn scored on an error in the second and Kimi Presnell doubled to bring in Reagan Rector. Usher reached and scored on a pair of errors in the third. Presnell singled in the fifth to score Cameron Clemons and Rector scored on a passed ball.

Taber scored on a passed ball in the fifth, Skaggs scored Presnell and Elizabeth Luttrell on a single in the sixth, and Taber singled in Skaggs for the run rule victory.

Sand Springs Softball will take a week off before traveling to district road game in Stillwater (11-3, 1-2) next Thursday at 5:00 p.m.

OSSAA District 6A-4 Standings
4-0 Broken Arrow (13-3)
2-0 Sand Springs (10-4)
2-2 Ponca City (15-6)
2-4 Sapulpa (2-13)
1-2 Stillwater (11-3)
0-2 Putnam City North (4-15)

Jacie Taber commits to Missouri State University for softball

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This story was originally written for Vype.

Charles Page High School senior standout Jacie Taber is headed to Missouri State next summer, and hopefully to the 6A State Tournament this fall. 

Previously committed to the University of Northern Iowa, Taber decided to stay close to home and recently announced her decision to attend Missouri State University instead. 

“From the moment I went on my visit to Missouri State I fell in love with it,” says Taber. “The coaches are amazing. I knew that if I went there I would 100% succeed. Not only as a softball player but in the classroom, they do all they can to make school the biggest priority.”

Missouri State is coming off a 32-20 season with a 17-8 second place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. The Bears are coached by Holly Hesse in her thirtieth season at the helm with a 749-747-2 record, five MVC regular season titles, five MVC tournament titles, and five NCAA Tournament appearances. 

“It’s such a family environment and there’s so much love shown between the coaches and the players. The emphasis they continue to put on your future and succeeding in life is so helpful. Going on my visit there felt like home and I realized that is where I want to be.”

Before she heads to Springfield, she has unfinished business in Oklahoma City. The Lady Sandites have won three-straight Regional Championships, making it to the quarterfinals the last two seasons and the finals in 2015. 

Taber finished the 2017 season with a .368 batting average, .471 slugging average, and .385 slugging average, and led her team with 32 RBI. On the mound she amassed a 2.04 ERA and 1.35 WHIP, throwing 64% strikes for a 16-3 record. She is currently .476 after 21 at-bats this season and holds a career pitching record of 30-10.

In addition to Northern Iowa and Missouri State, Taber also received offers from the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Butler Community College, Oklahoma Christian University, and the University of Southern Arkansas. 

Taber has interests in psychology and social work, but hasn’t yet decided on a major. For now, her main focus is finishing high school strong, both academically and on the diamond. 

CPHS Softball: Jenks doubles Sand Springs 10-5 thanks to Sandite errors

Jenks - After a successful weekend at the Stillwater Festival, the Charles Page High School varsity softball team saw a four game win streak come to an end at the hands of Jenks High School (11-5). Four errors and nine unearned runs handed the Trojans the non-district victory. 

Sand Springs (9-4) was first on the board as Rogers State University-commit Kimi Presnell reached on a single and scored on a ground ball from Jensen Arnold in the top of the first. They gave up that advantage immediately, allowing three runs on two errors in the bottom of the inning. 

Makenna Skaggs and Sabrina Usher hit back-to-back doubles in the third, the latter scoring the former, and Usher came home on a ground ball from Jacie Taber to tie it up. Jenks hit four singles for a pair of runs in the fourth and Dacia Sexton hit a grand slam in the fifth.

Usher scored Presnell on a single in the seventh and Taber brought in Skaggs, but a pop fly to second brought the game to an end. 

Aliyah Taff (2-2, 2-4) pitched the first five innings, tossing twelve hits and one walk. Mackenzie Bechtold (1-0) threw no hits, two strikeouts, and one walk in the sixth inning.

Sand Springs Softball will return to action Thursday at 5:30 p.m. with a district home game against their Highway 97 rivals from Sapulpa (2-13, 2-4). The Sandites are 1-0 in district action. 

CPHS Softball: Sandites go undefeated at Stillwater Festival, upset Westmoore

Sabrina Usher is the only Lady Sandite to hit a home run this season.

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (9-3) notched two solid wins at the Stillwater Festival on Friday. After a 14-0 pummeling of Edmond Memorial (4-8) in game one, they notched a 2-1 upset of Westmoore (13-3) at Oklahoma State University's Cowgirl Stadium. 

Sophomore pitcher Aliyah Taff (2-1, 2-3) got the win with two hits, five strikeouts, and no walks in the four inning run-rule victory over Edmond Memorial and Sabrina Usher hit her second home run of the season.

Rogers State-commit Kimi Presnell was first on the scoreboard thanks to a team effort; reaching on a walk, stealing second, and making third and home on a pair of sacrifices. 

Cameron Clemons scored on an error in the second inning, Presnell doubled in Madelyn Blair, Drew Hawkins scored on a bunt from Makenna Skaggs, and Usher went yard to drive in Presnell and Skaggs for a 7-0 lead.

Another Presnell double brought in Felicity Horn, and Hawkins notched another run on an error in the third. Luttrell and Blair both hit RBI doubles in the fourth, then Hawkins and Blair both scored on errors for the final runs of the game. 

The second win went to Blair (4-1, 23-6) with four strikeouts, five walks, and seven hits in the seven inning bout with Westmoore. 

The Lady Jags were first on the board with three-straight hits and McKayla Franks brought in Aynslee Linduff with a single. They stranded three in the second, two in the third, two in the fourth, and two in the fifth.

Sand Springs made it on base in the first, second, and fourth, but their big break came in the bottom of the fifth. Skaggs singled on loaded bases to bring in Hawkins and Luttrell scored on an error to take the lead once and for all. 

Clemons drilled a triple in the sixth but was picked off soon after, but the Sandites wouldn't end up needing the extra run. The Jags secured a walk and a single in the top of the seventh, but Madison Lee caught a pop fly to seal the victory. 

Sand Springs Softball will return to action Tuesday at Jenks High School (10-5) at 5:00 p.m in a non-district Frontier Valley Conference battle. 

CPHS Softball: Sandites run rule Sapulpa 11-0 in district debut

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (7-3) won their first district game in style with an 11-0 run-rule shutout of their Highway 97 rivals from Sapulpa (2-10, 2-3) Thursday evening. 

Madelyn Blair (3-1, 22-6), a senior University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma commit, got the win on the mound, giving up only two hits and no walks against five strikeouts.

The visiting Sandites wasted no time, jumping out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first with an RBI double from Sabrina Usher, who came in on a ground out from Blair. Kimi Presnell scored the first and third runs of the game, then Makenna Skaggs made it 4-0 on a ground ball from Jacie Taber. 

Felicity Horn scored on an error in the third, Elizabeth Luttrell brought in Cameron Clemons on a sacrifice fly, Madison Lee scored on a passed ball, and Presnell scored on an error for an 8-0 advantage. 

Horn scored on a passed ball in the fourth. Presnell scored Luttrell on a triple and came in on a single from Usher for the final run of the game.

Both of Sapulpa's singles came in the bottom of the fourth but Usher preserved the shutout with a tag at home. Sand Springs put two on base in the fifth but failed to score and Blair struck out two to conclude the game. 

Sand Springs has suffered through five rain-outs this season, including their first two district games against Ponca City and Putnam City North. They will return to action Friday at the Stillwater Festival with games against Edmond Memorial (4-6) and Westmoore (13-2). 

CPHS Softball: Sandites split wins at RSU Festival, beat Claremore 6-1

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (6-3) split a double header at Rogers State University Thursday morning, falling 3-2 to Claremore Sequoyah, but defeating Claremore High School 6-1.

The undefeated Eagles (8-0) scored all three of their runs in the first inning as Callie Schultz and Lauryn Anderson came in on a home run from Ariel Thompson. Thompson was the star of the show, going three-for-three at the plate and registering thirteen strikeouts on the mound.

Kimi Presnell scored the Sandites' first run in the bottom of the third on a single from Makenna Skaggs, who also doubled in Liz Luttrell in the fifth. Madelyn Blair (2-1, 21-6) struck out five, walked three, and gave up eight hits for her first loss of the season.

Aliyah Taff (2-1, 2-3) led the Sandites to a win over the Zebras (1-1) with three strikeouts, no walks, and five hits.

Sand Springs stranded loaded bases in the top of the first after two errors and a single but got out to an early lead in the second with three hits and a walk. Presnell doubled in Drew Hawkins, Skaggs sacrificed to score Luttrell, then Presnell came in on a single from Sabrina Usher.

Cameron Clemons hit a sacrifice fly in the third to score Taber and Luttrell singled in Horn for a 5-0 lead. The Zebras also got on the board that inning with an RBI double from Maddox Thomas and a run from Rylee Vanaman. Skaggs batted in Presnell for the final run in the top of the sixth. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Monday at 5:30 p.m. with their district debut at Putnam City North (1-7).