Lady Sandite Softball scores 13-0 run-rule shutout over Kellyville

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

After a disappointing loss to 5A No. 4 Morris (23-4) in the opening round of the Haskell Tournament, the No. 17 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (7-5) rebounded with a 13-0 shutout of 5A No. 10 Kellyville (11-6) in only three and a half innings.

The Lady Sandites put up a consistent and evenly spread offense over the three innings, taking a 4-0 lead in the first. Jessica Schuler doubled to score Kennedy "Goose" Salyers to start things off, then Jessica Collins hit a homer to score Sydney Pennington and Kellie Johnson. 

In the second inning Pennington singled to score Jacie Taber, Schuler walked in Salyers on loaded bases, and Collins sacrificed to score Kimi Presnell.

The biggest inning came in the third as Salyers sacrificed to score Stella Millican, Presnell singled to score Cameron Clemons, Pennington doubled to score Taber, and Schuler put the nail in the coffin with a 3RBI homer.

Millican (2-3), who is signed to Mid American Christian University, got the win on the mound after giving up only two hits and two walks.

Pennington and Schuler hit home runs in 14-9 loss to No. 4 Morris Lady Eagles

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No.17 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (7-5) dropped the Haskell Tournament opener to 5A No.4 Morris (23-4) in a close 14-9, but swept the rest of the competition aside with ease, needing just twelve innings to defeat three opponents by a combined score of 46-12. 

Morris took the lead right off the bat, outscoring Sand Springs 3-1 in the first inning on runs from Justice Frazier, Kyzia Whisenhunt, and Desirae Tecumseh. Freshman Kimi Presnell drew a walk for the Lady Sandites and scored on a single by Jessica Collins.

In the second inning was more balanced with Frazier hitting a homer for the Eagles and Kellie Johnson scoring a run for Sand Springs. The Lady Sandites tied it up in the third inning on runs from Presnell and Sydney Pennington but Morris scored Maddie James and Lyric Ward for the edge in the fourth.

The Lady Eagles further pushed the advantage with eight runs in the fifth. Sand Springs made a good run at it with Pennington and Schuler hitting back-to-back homers scoring themselves and Presnell. Cameron Clemons scored Collins and Jacie Taber scored Rachel Blair, but they were unable to equalize it and the sixty-minute time limit expired with Sand Springs trailing 14-9. Northeastern State University-signee Jessica Schuler (3-2) got the loss on the mound.

Lady Sandite Softball gets revenge on Jenks, 14-7; Millican hits homer

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No.17 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (4-4) dropped a 26-22 shootout with the No.8 Jenks Lady Trojans earlier this season and made up for it Thursday evening, doubling the home team 14-7. 

Northeastern State University-signee Jessica Schuler (3-1) got the win on the mound, giving up 8 hits and 3 walks, but only 6 earned runs. 

Freshman Kimi Presnell was the first to land a hit and the first to score, doubling before coming in on a Schuler single. Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington singled and scored on a triple by Madelyn Blair. Jessica Collins reached on a fielder's choice that outed Schuler, then scored on a triple by Mid-American Christian-signee Stella Millican.

Cameron Clemons drew a walk in the second, advanced on a double by Kennedy Salyers, and came in on intentional walks of Pennington and Schuler. The home team got on the board in the bottom of the second as Delaney Knorr and Rita Villalobos both drew walks and scored on hits by Reagan Berkinshaw and Ally Ryan, respectively.

The Trojans tied things up in the bottom of the third as Ayanna UpChurch batted in Alexis Bryan, Knorr batted in Kate Kouplen, and Memory Duncan batted in Upchurch to make it 5-5.

Pennington got things back on track in the top of the fourth, tripling to score Salyers and Presnell, then coming home on a double by Collins. Madelyn Blair tripled to score Kellie Johnson and Collins for the 10-5 advantage.

Rachel Blair scored on a Presnell sacrifice, then Pennington reached on an error to score Jacie Taber and Salyers, but tried for two and was caught in a pickle for the final out of the inning. 

Jenks added two more in the bottom of the sixth, but Millican put the final exclamation point on the night with an in-the-park home run.

The Lady Sandites return to action Friday at the Haskell Tournament against Kellyville, Morris, and Beggs. 

Lady Sandite Softball falls 22-14 in shootout with No.3 Muskogee

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No.17 ranked Charles Page High School slow pitch softball team (3-4) dropped a tough one to the No.3 Muskogee Lady Roughers (18-2) in the final game of the Jenks Festival Tuesday evening. The Sandites outhit their opponent 16 to 12, but lost it on the mound, giving up 16 walks.

Sand Springs dug themselves into a deep hole from the very beginning as Muskogee scored 11 in the top of the first. Jessica Schuler (2-1) got her first loss on the mound this season, walking two right off the bat. Aubrey Johnson singled on loaded bases to score Carlee Gann and Elexis Watson. Hattie Matthews singled in Dee Emarthle and Johnson. 

Phynix Coleman walked to load the bases and Amber Purdin went to bat with no outs. Finally the Sandites began to make plays, forcing out Bre Virgin at home. Brookelyn Gilmore walked in Dymin Purdin, but Kennedy Glass popped a fly to Sydney Pennington at shortstop. The Sandites had two outs now, but Muskogee wasn't done with their offensive yet and doubled down to add five more runs.

Gann singled Coleman and Watson tripled to score Amber Purdin, Gilmore, and Gann. Emarthle singled in Cassie Leinberger, Johnson reached on a Pennington error, and Matthews walked to reload the bases. Dymin Purdin walked in Emarthle for the 11th and final run before Coleman flied out to Kimi Presnell to bring the melee to an end.

Pennington tripled to score Kennedy Salyers and Presnell, and scored herself after tagging up on a fly by Schuler. Madelyn Blair and Stella Millican each singled, but were left stranded as Jessica Collins and Rachel Blair were put out.

Muskogee undid the gain Sand Springs had just made by scoring Gilmore, Gann, and Leinberger in the top of the second for a 14-3 advantage. The Sandites didn't let the double-digit lead dishearten them, however, and closed the gap to six runs by the end of the inning.

Salyers singled in Jacie Taber then came in on a Schuler triple that also scored Presnell and Pennington. Collins brought home Schuler to make it 14-8, but Madelyn Blair and Millican each flied out to end the inning.

Schuler walked two in the top of the third, but the field played well putting out two at first and catching a line to prevent any scoring. 

It didn't look good for Sand Springs to start the bottom as Rachel Blair and Cameron Clemons each grounded out to short, but finally Taber hit a single to get the ball rolling. She was joined on base by Salyers with a single, then brought home by a single from Presnall. Pennington reached on an error that scored Salyers to cut the deficit to 14-10.

Sand Springs was in good shape, or so it appeared, right up till they gave the double digit lead right back to the Roughers with seven walks to start the fourth. Millican (1-3) took over on the mound and only gave up one hit, no walks, and no runs, but the damage was done. 

Trailing 22-10, Sand Springs returned to the plate for a last-ditch effort. Rachel Blair, Clemons, and Taber all scored on an error and Presnell doubled to score Salyers but Pennington grounded out to bring the inning to a close at 22-14. The game had surpassed the 70-minute festival time-limit and Muskogee got the win.

Sand Springs returns to action Thursday at No.8 Jenks (14-6) in a double header beginning at 4:30. The Lady Trojans previously edged out the Sandites 26-22 in a shootout at Berryhill earlier this season.

Stella Millican and Lady Sandite Softball hammers Booker T with 18-5 run-rule victory

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School slow-pitch softball team (3-3) got off to a slow start against the Booker T Washington Lady Hornets (4-8) Tuesday afternoon, but found their feet in the top of the third and never looked back.

Senior Mid-American Christian University-signee Stella Millican (1-3) picked up her first win on the mound for the season and batted in a team-high six runs on two singles and a triple. Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington connected for three hits as well, including a home run, and scored four runs and 2RBI. Freshman Kimi Presnall scored 3RBI and three runs with two singles and a homer.

The game started slow as there were already two outs on the board before the Sandites got on base. But they didn't stay on base for long, as the very first hit was the homer by Pennington. The Lady Hornets tied things up in the bottom of the first as Abbey Taylor singled in Jacinta Harris, but Sand Springs jumped right back ahead in the second as Madelyn Blair tripled and came in on a sacrifice fly by Millican.

In the top of the third Blair batted in Presnall, then Millican hit a 3RBI triple to score Pennington, Jessica Schuler, and Blair. Millican pitched a no-hitter in the bottom of the inning, then the Sandites doubled their score in the top of the fourth.

Kennedy "Goose" Salyers singled in Rachel Blair and Presnall batted a 3RBI homer to score Jacie Taber and Salyers. Pennington doubled and came in on a Schuler double. Madelyn Blair singled in Schuler and Cameron Clemons sacrificed to score Jessica Collins for a 13-1 advantage. 

Booker T finally found their bats in the bottom of the fourth as Kerri Alexander scored a runner with a double, then came in on a single by Taylor Carey who in turn scored on a single by Anna Powell. 

In the top of the fifth the Sandites put on the finishing touches. Pennington singled in Salyers, Madelyn Blair walked in Presnall, and Millican hit a single to score Pennington and Schuler. Clemons sacrificed to score Madelyn Blair for an 18-4 lead. Booker T scored one in the bottom of the inning and fell by run-rule.

Berryhill Maidens edge out Lady Sandite Softball in extra innings

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.