Lady Sandites head to Bixby with eleven straight wins, seven by shutout

Madelyn Blair leads Lady Sandites to victory at Jenks

by: Virgil Noah, Staff Writer

The Charles Page High School Lady Sandite Softball Team (14-3, 5-0) extended their winning streak to nine games Thursday against the Jenks High School Lady Trojans (6-9, 4-5). Their streak of six consecutive shutouts would come to an end, but Madelyn Blair (5-2) did a great job holding Jenks in check allowing just two earned runs while striking out six batters in seven innings of work from the mound.

Each team went remotely quietly in the first two innings, each picking up hits, but failing to score. Felicity Horn led off the top of the third inning with a walk, Jessica Collins bunted her way to first base, and Sydney Pennington drew a walk to load the bases. Madelyn Blair picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored Horn but outed Pennington at second, and Collins scored on an illegal pitch by Lady Trojan pitcher Lauren Watkins.

Sand Springs added three more runs in the fourth inning. Kimi Presnell, Cameron Clemons, and Rachel Blair all singled, and Presnell advanced to home on a throw. Horn reached on a fielder's choice that outed Clemons at third, and Horn and Blair both advanced on a wild pitch. Collins singled to score Blair, and Horn scored on a throw. Things looked promising for Jenks in their half of the fourth as Brenlyn McCoy singled to lead off the inning, but the next batter, Ally Ryan, lined a pitch right to Presnell who tagged out McCoy for an unassisted double play, and the visitors would make it out of the inning unscathed with a 5-0 advantage. 

Presnell reached on a fielder's choice in the top of the fifth, stole second and eventually scored after a wild pitch and an error. Chancy Hupp got Jenks on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two RBI double, but an RBI double by Madelyn Blair and two more runs scored on errors would put the game away for the Lady Sandites.

Sandites go undefeated at OSU Festival in extra innings

by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Lady Sandites picked up their tenth and eleventh-straight wins at the OSU Festival Friday afternoon. Sophomore Jacie Taber (6-1) got the win on the mound against Piedmont (6-5) with six strikeouts against four hits. Madelyn Blair led in scoring with four RBI.

The Sandites got on the board early in the game with a sacrifice hit from Blair to score freshman Felicity Horn. In the bottom of the third Blair doubled to score Horn, Jessica Collins, and Sydney Pennington, but was left stranded.

Pennington added another run in the bottom of the fifth after tagging up on a flyout from Taber. 

In the second game of the festival the girls faced Muskogee (3-7) for the second time in a week. The Roughers were no challenge for the Sandites at the Rogers State festival, but this game would be a far cry from last Friday's 11-0 shutout.

With Lexy Watson on the mound, Muskogee gave up only five hits, as opposed to fourteen hits the last time the two teams met. The Sandites had to use two pitchers for the first time this season, starting with Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington (3-0), but trading to Madelyn Blair (5-2) in the bottom of the fifth

Felicity Horn got on base in the top of the first on a walk, but was stranded on third. Neither team reached again till Shania Henry walked in the bottom of the third. Kennedy Glass reached on a fielder's choice and was joined on base by Dymin Purdin who drew a walk. Brookelyn Gilmore singled with a groundball and Glass advanced home while Purdin was put out at third while advancing on the play. 

The Sandites tied things up in the top of the fifth as Elizabeth Luttrell singled to score Kimi Presnell who also singled. 

Muskogee threatened again in the bottom of the fifth as Purdin singled and Henry was hit by pitch. Blair relieved Pennington on the mound and the Sandites picked up an out on a fielder's choice at third. Phynix Coleman reached on an error at second to load the bases, but Purdin flied out to Rachel Blair and Gilmore grounded out to Madelyn Blair to save the inning.

The two teams remained tied up through the bottom of the seventh when the Roughers once again threatened with a pair of runners on base. Blair struck out two, hit one, and gave up a single before Gilmore flied out to strand the runners. 

The game entered an international tie-breaker and Makenna Skaggs was placed on second to speed up game-play. Clemons sacrificed to advance Skaggs to third, and Sabrina Usher hit a line drive single into right field for the go-ahead run. 

Gilmore was placed on second for the Roughers and advanced to third on a passed ball. Kayleigh Phillips walked, but the runners were stranded after three flyouts to net the Sandites the win. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Tuesday evening in Bixby when they play a district game against the Lady Spartans (6-9, 5-2). The Sandites and Spartans are second and third, respectively, in district standings. Bixby is coming off a 6-1 win over Putnam City. The game was originally scheduled for Sand Springs, but was moved due to standing water on the field after a soaking Monday night. First pitch is at 5:00 p.m.

Lady Sandite Softball wins six-straight shutouts, run-rules Muskogee 11-0

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sydney Pennington is batting over .500 this season and scored three runs against Muskogee.

Charles Page High School junior Madelyn Blair (3-2) got it done on the mound Friday evening for the Lady Sandites (11-3, 4-0) pitching five strikeouts over four innings and only giving up two hits in an 11-0 run-rule shutout over the Muskogee Lady Roughers (3-3). Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington was the leading batter for the evening with three runs and three RBI, including a home run.

The Lady Sandites didn't waste any time in getting on base with a single from Jessica Collins. Pennington reached on an error and Sabrina Usher scored Collins with a single. Kimi Presnell singled in Pennington, but was left stranded with Usher.

Elexis Watson and Amber Purdin each drew walks over the next two innings but the Roughers failed to bring them home. Makenna Skaggs hit a single for the Sandites but was left stranded in the top of the second. 

Sand Springs blew the game wide open in the top of the third as Pennington hit a lead-off double to center field and scored on a double by Usher. Presnell reached on an error that allowed Usher to score. Jacie Taber singled and scored on a 2RBI single from Cameron Clemons. Skaggs and Collins both hit singles with Collins scoring Clemons, then Pennington rounded out the batting order for a 3RBI homer for the 10-0 advantage. Madelyn Blair hit a single but was left stranded.

Watson and Brookelyn Gilmore both singled in the bottom of the third but were left on base. 

Jensen Arnold made her season-debut behind the plate in the top of the fourth and doubled, then scored on a single from Rachel Blair to make it 11-0. Madelyn Blair retired the side in order in the bottom of the inning and the Sandites secured the victory via run-rule.

Jacie Taber has pitched double digit strikeouts in each of her last two games.

In the second game of the Rogers State Festival in Claremore, sophomore Jacie Taber (5-1) continued to prove herself as an outstanding pitcher and led her team to a 3-0 victory over Pryor (7-4).

Thursday evening Taber pitched ten strikeouts in a 10-0 shutout of Sapulpa. Friday evening she pitched ten strikeouts over Pryor with only two hits in the five inning game. University of Oklahoma-commit Olivia Rains also fared well on the mound for Pryor with six strikeouts and only one hit.

Pryor was the first to threaten as Hunter Gilstrap drew a walk and Rains reached on error in the bottom of the first. Taber struck out MKayla Hillman and Payton White to strand the two runners.

In the top of the second Presnell drew a walk, Taber reached on error, and both nabbed an extra base on a passed ball before being stranded. Pryor's Maeme Ward was walked and stranded in the bottom of the inning. Gilstrap and Olivia Cummings were both walked in the bottom of the third and Rains hit a single, but Taber struck out White and Kennedy Cramer to save the inning. 

Madelyn Blair reached on a dropped third strike in the top of the fourth and Halee Nichols reached on an error in the bottom of the inning. Both were stranded. 

Sand Springs finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth thanks to a series of errors from the Pryor defense. Rachel Blair reached on error, Skaggs walked, and Collins reached on an error that scored Blair. Pennington singled to score Skaggs and Madelyn Blair reached on an error to score Collins for the 3-0 advantage. 

The Tigers tried to rally with a single from Gilstrap, a walk from White, and a reach on error from Cummings, but Rains and Hillman were struck out and Cramer grounded out to first to end the inning and the game. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action Thursday at 5:00 p.m. at Jenks (4-7). 

Sydney Pennington rips Putnam North from the mound, Sandites win 3-1

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Senior Oklahoma State University-commit Sydney Pennington (1-0) needed a few at-bats to warm up her pitching game Friday, but once she got going she was unstoppable. Pennington pitched seven strikeouts, gave up only four hits, and scored a run to lead the Charles Page High School varsity softball team (3-2) to victory at the Broken Arrow Tournament Friday evening.

The Lady Sandites split the first two games of the day, falling 2-1 to the eventual tournament champions from Owasso, but getting revenge on last year's State Champions with a 4-1 victory over Choctaw. Choctaw defeated Sand Springs 4-3 in the State Finals last year. 

The Putnam City North game was a slow starter for both teams as Felicity Horn and Rachel Blair struck out swinging in the first inning. Pennington walked Lorren Kromer in her first appearance on the mound this season and gave up a single to Steffany Dickerson before finding her groove and striking out Meridee Lawson. 

Senior Jessica Collins registered the first hit of the game for the Sandites in the top of the second but was left stranded. The Lady Panthers nearly got on the board in the bottom of the third. Kromer hit a single, advanced to second as Lawson was walked, advanced to third on a wild pitch, but was caught stealing home to end the inning. 

The Sandites broke their dry spell in the top of the fourth as Pennington singled on a hard ground ball into left field. Madelyn Blair hit what should have been a sacrifice bunt, but an overthrow error to first gave Pennington enough time to clear home plate and Blair reached second. Jacie Taber hit a single to advance Blair to third, and freshman Sabrina Usher brought them both home with a single of her own for the 3-0 advantage.

The Lady Panthers got on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Sydni Gibbs reached second on an error, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on an error that allowed Maleina Fortin to reach first. Fortin nearly scored but was tagged out at home by Horn. 

Sandite Softball trumps defending State Champions from Choctaw, 4-1

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Charles Page High School varsity softball team (2-2) split their first two games at the Broken Arrow Tournament Friday morning. A knock-down drag-out game against Owasso ended in a 2-1 loss after being tied up at 1-1 for four innings. The next game started out the same as the first with Sand Springs taking an early lead before being tied up for several innings once again. This time, however, they were able to go-ahead for a 4-1 payback win over Choctaw, who defeated the Sandites 4-3 in the State Championship finals last year. 

Madelyn Blair (1-1) got the loss on the mound against Owasso, giving up nine hits against two strikeouts. The girls had a tough time getting on base, landing only two hits over the course of the game.

Senior Jessica Collins reached base in the bottom of the second after being hit by a pitch, then scored on an RBI double from freshman Sabrina Usher. The Lady Rams (2-0) quickly retaliated with an run in the top of the third, then took the lead in the top of the seventh for the win.

Jacie Taber (1-1) picked up her first win of the season against Choctaw, pitching five strikeouts against three walks and only two hits. 

The Lady Sandites took an early lead in the top of the first as Sydney Pennington reached on a fielder's choice and scored off an RBI double by Madelyn Blair. Janessa Larman got the Yellowjackets on the board with a sacrifice to score Brooke Edwards in the bottom of the second.

In the top of the fifth freshman Felicity Horn smacked a beautiful RBI double to score Cameron Clemons. Sydney Pennington hit her first homerun of the season in the top of the sixth and Collins sent a double into the left field fence to score Madelyn Blair for the fourth and final run. 

The defending State Champions threatened in the bottom of the sixth. Josie Swafford reached on an error at shortstop, Kennedy Henry drew a walk, and Lainee Brown reached on an error at second base to load the field with only one out. Haleigh Scott sent a big hit into the waiting glove of Horn in left field, and Taber struck out Megan McAffrey for the win.

The tournament is only playing to six innings. 

Weather pending, the Lady Sandites will take on Putnam City North (0-3) at 5:30 p.m. On Saturday they'll play Durant (2-0) at 9:00 a.m. and Edmond North (2-2) at 12:30 p.m. before beginning bracket play at 6:00 p.m.