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).

CPHS Softball: Sandites undefeated at Broken Arrow tournament, Usher hits home run

The Charles Page High School Fast Pitch Softball team holds an undefeated 4-0 record after the second day of the season and the first day of the Broken Arrow Tournament.

After shutting out Tahlequah in their Thursday afternoon season opener, the Lady Sandites defeated Choctaw 3-2, Pocola 6-0, and Broken Bow 6-3 Friday at Arrowhead Park.

Choctaw (3-1) is always an exciting win for the Sandites, who were defeated 4-3 by the Yellowjackets in the 2015 State Championship. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma-commit Madelyn Blair (1-0) pitched her first win of the season in the close battle. 

The Yellowjackets outhit the Sandites six to four, but Sand Springs benefited from three walks and an error for the payback win.

The Sandites jumped out to an early lead with a sacrifice fly from Jensen Arnold to score Kimi Presnell in the top of the first, but Lainee Brown tied it up right away with an RBI single.

Jacie Taber reclaimed the lead with an RBI double to score Felicity Horn in the top of the second, then Emma Jackson singled in Tiffany Palmer to tie it in the fourth. Cameron Clemons smacked an RBI double in the fifth for the final run of the game.

Aaliyah Taff (1-0) got the win on the mound against Pocola (3-3), tossing three hits, two strikeouts, and three walks in seven innings.

Makenna Skaggs recorded the first hit of the game but was stranded in the top of the first inning. Pocola left two on base in the bottom of the second as Shakyrah Gladness reached on an error at third and Kena Chitwood drew a walk.

The Sandites hit pay dirt in the top of the third with an RBI single from Sabrina Usher to bring home Presnell, then Taber singled in Clemons in the fourth before scoring on a hit from Presnell.

Pocola was in hot water in the sixth inning as a walk from Horn and singles from Clemons and Taber loaded the bases with no outs. Blair scored all three on a double, then Presnell and Skaggs singled to reload the slot.

The Indians averted disaster as Usher hit a pop fly to third where Blair was tagged out, and Presnell was left stranded with a fly out from Arnold.

Pocola snagged a walk and a single in the bottom of the sixth and Mika Scott doubled in the seventh, but a strikeout and a pair of ground outs brought the game to a close.

Mackenzie Bechtold (1-0) handed Broken Bow (3-1) their first loss of the season with four hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.

Jaylee Lopez gave the Lady Savages the opening lead with an RBI double to score Jules Callaham, but Sabrina Usher hit the first Sandite home run of the season to score Skaggs for the advantage. 

Broken Bow tied it up with an RBI single from Shae Ebert in the top of the third, but Sand Springs ran away with it in the bottom of the fourth.

Elizabeth Luttrell and Horn hit back-to-back doubles and Clemons added a sacrifice fly to double the Savages 4-2, then Blair doubled in Taber and scored on an error to make it 6-3.

Callaham reached on an error in the fifth and scored on a different error for the final run of the game. 

Sand Springs will return to action Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. against Moore (0-3), then will play Durant (2-3) at 2:00 p.m., both on Field 5 at Arrowhead Park. They will begin bracket play at 4:00 p.m.

CPHS Softball: Sandites slam Tahlequah 8-0 in season opener

The Lady Sandite Fast-Pitch Softball team kicked off the season with a bang Thursday afternoon in Tahlequah, shutting out the Tigers 8-0 behind a stellar pitching performance from Jacie Taber.

Taber, an uncommitted Division One prospect, threw four strikeouts, one walk, and one hit in the five-inning outing. She also hit two singles on three at-bats with two runs and two RBI.

Sand Springs was supposed to start their season Tuesday morning at the Claremore Festival, but both games were cancelled due to weather. Tahlequah, meanwhile, had little difficulty in rattling off a pair of double-digit wins at the Pryor Festival.

The Sandites' late start put them to no disadvantage and they needed only a single inning to find their rhythm against the 5A powerhouse. 

In the second inning Taber and Elizabeth Luttrell hit a pair of singles and Felicity Horn walked to load the bases. Makenna Skaggs batted in Luttrell, Cameron Clemons batted in Taber, and Madelyn Blair batted in Horn for a quick 3-0 advantage.

Sabrina Usher kicked off the third inning with a double, Luttrell and Taber both singled again, and Usher and Luttrell both scored on Taber's hit. Taber came in on a double from Skaggs to double the score. 

Drew Hawkins drew a walk in the fourth and came in on a double from Usher, who scored the final run of the game on a ground out from Luttrell. 

Emily Sampson snagged Tahlequah's only hit of the night on a single to left field in the bottom of the fourth, but three quick fly outs left the Tiger stranded. 

The Sandites will return to action Friday afternoon at the Broken Arrow Tournament with a triple header at Arrowhead Park. Sand Springs will play Choctaw (1-0) at 1:30 p.m., Pocola (3-0) at 3:00 p.m., and Fort Gibson (0-0) at 5:00 p.m. All three games will be played on Field 7. Arrowhead Park is located at 300 East Washington Street in Broken Arrow.

Sandite athletes make college decisions

Senior Isabella Regalado announced Tuesday her decision to play basketball for Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The RiverHawks went 10-17 last season under first-year Head Coach Fala Bullock, a four-win improvement over the prior year. NSU competes at the NCAA Division II level in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association.

Regalado averaged 9.27 points per game with a 31% field goal percentage and 69% free throw average. She collected 4.75 rebounds per game, led her team in scoring on three occasions, and scored a career-high 23 points against Jenks.

The Lady Sandites went 18-8 last season, placed third in the Frontier Valley Conference, and made it to the State Tournament Quarterfinals. 

Senior Destiny Johnson has committed play basketball to the University of Tulsa. The Hurricane is coming off a 10-21 season under eighth-year Head Coach Matilda Mossman and competes in the NCAA Division I in the American Athletic Conference. 

Johnson was the number-two scorer on her team with a 16.28 average, 48.06% field goal percentage, and 65.73% free throw percentage. She recorded 5.65 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and two steals per game with three double-doubles. She led her team on ten occasions and scored a career-high 31 points against Ponca City. 

Senior Holly Kersgieter previously committed to the University of Kansas last year. The Jayhawks went 12-18 in the NCAA Division I, competing in the Big 12 Conference under third-year Head Coach Brandon Schneider. 

Kersgieter led her team with 18.12 points, 7.33 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 2.5 steals per game, shooting 49.65% on field goals and 73.1% on free throws. She recorded four double-doubles, led her team on sixteen occasions, and scored a career-high 29 points against Union.

Seniors Tyler Ash and John Miller recently announced their intent to play baseball for Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton. The Mountaineers went 44-17 in the 2017-2018 season, competing in the NJCAA Region II. They are coached by Matt Parker in his first year after moving over from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Sandite Baseball finished the 2018 season with a 24-12 record under first-year Head Coach James Garrison, falling in the Regional Championship finals. 

Ash amassed a 3-2 record on the mound with a 3.77 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 26 innings. He recorded a .266 batting average, .376 slugging average, and .412 OBP with 29 hits, 27 runs, 25 RBI, two home runs, and eighteen stolen bases.

Miller pitched a 5-1 record with a 2.13 ERA and 1.1 WHIP in 26 innings. He batted .385 with a .462 slugging average, and .467 OBP for two runs, five hits, and four RBI.

Senior Cale Savage has committed to play baseball for Northern Oklahoma College in Enid. The 2018 season was the best in Jet history with a 48-16 record and third place finish in the NJCAA Division II World Series. They are coached by program founder Raydon Leaton in his seventeenth season. 

Savage batted .289 with a .434 slugging average and .406 OBP last season. He recorded fourteen runs, 24 hits, 21 RBI, and nine steals. He also pitched a 2.8 ERA and 1.8 WHIP in five innings. 

Senior Cal Watkins committed Monday to Seminole State College in Seminole, Oklahoma. The Trojans went 41-12 last season and will be starting fresh this year under first-year Head Coach Mack Chambers. They compete in the NJCAA Region 2. 

Watkins batted .339 last season with a .393 slugging average and .419 OBP. He recorded 32 runs, 38 hits, fifteen RBI, and seventeen steals.

Senior Jacie Taber recently de-committed from the University of Northern Iowa softball team. 

Taber went 16-3 on the mound last season with a 2.04 ERA and 1.358 WHIP. She batted .368 with a .471 slugging average and .385 OBP for fourteen runs, 32 hits, 32 RBI and one home run.

Senior Kimi Presnell is committed to Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma. The Hillcats finished the 2018 season 39-20 under fourth-year Head Coach Andrea Vaughan. They are an NCAA Division II team competing in the Heartland Conference.

Presnell is the leading hitter for the Lady Sandites, batting .522 with a .761 slugging average and .532 OBP. She recorded 32 runs, 48 hits, sixteen RBI, one home run, and twelve stolen bases last season.

Senior Cameron Clemons is committed to Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia. The Muleriders went 60-11 last season under fourth-year Head Coach Jason Anderson, competing at the NCAA Division II level in the Great American Conference. 

Clemons batted .271 in 2017 with a .386 slugging average and .326 OBP. She posted twenty runs, nineteen hits, thirteen RBI, and one home run. 

Senior Madelyn Blair committed last month to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha. The Drovers compete in the NAIA and Sooner Athletic Conference and are coming off a 57-5 season and NAIA World Series Championship under fifth-year Head Coach Jadyn Wallis. 

Blair amassed a 6-3 record on the mound last season with a 2.96 ERA and 1.5 WHIP in 52 innings. She holds a .365 batting average, .469 slugging average, and .398 OBP with twelve runs, 35 hits, and 22 RBI.

Senior Elizabeth Luttrell has committed to Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas. The Tigers compete in the NJCAA and are coming off a 42-16 season and National Tournament appearance under second-year Head Coach Jenny Hoyt.

Luttrell holds a .357 batting average, .536 slugging average, and .409 OBP with 22 runs, thirty hits, three home runs, and 29 RBI in the 2017 season.

Lady Sandite Softball went 23-8 last fall and has made the State Tournament three consecutive years. 

CPHS Softball: Slow-Pitch season ends in shootout at No. 3 Southmoore

The Charles Page High School Slow-Pitch Softball team ended their season Tuesday afternoon in Moore, falling 11-0 and 14-9 to Class 6A No. 3 ranked Southmoore in a three-game series for the Regional Championship.

SEE RELATED: CPHS Softball: Sandites run-rule Norman 13-1 at Regional Playoffs

The Lady Sandites ended the year ranked No. 17 in Class 6A with a 9-12 record and several quality wins. 

Southmoore jumped out to an early lead with six hits and a walk for a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Sand Springs stranded two runners in the top of the second and the Sabercats came in to take a 7-0 lead with home runs from Mikayla Smith and Karli Petty. 

Sabrina Usher scored Elizabeth Luttrell on a homer to get Sand Springs on the board in the top of the third, then Analisia Aguilar sent one over the center field fence for Southmoore.

The Sandites stranded two more in the top of the fourth and Kylie Janzen scored two on a homer in the bottom of the inning to make it 10-2.

Makenna Skaggs singled to score Kimi Presnell in the top of the fifth, then came in on a double from Jensen Arnold. The Sandites then stranded two Sabercat runners in the bottom of the inning for their only shutout inning of the game. 

In the top of the sixth Jacie Taber reached on an error, and Felicity Horn and Cameron Clemons singled to load the bases. Luttrell, Presnell, Usher, and Skaggs all batted in runs to close the game to a one run deficit at 10-9.

The Sabercats were ready with a melee of their own in the bottom of the inning, making it 14-9 with a home run from Savannah Brewer. Sand Springs recorded three hits in the top of the seventh but stranded two runners to end the game. 

SHS 14 CPHS 9
Hits: CPHS 19, SHS 16.
Walks: SHS 7.
Errors: SHS 2.
Double-Plays: SHS 2.
Left-on-Base: SHS 9, CPHS 10.

CPHS Softball: Sandites run-rule Norman 13-1 at Regional Playoffs

MOORE - Kimi Presnell, Sabrina Usher, and Jensen Arnold each hit home runs Wednesday afternoon to advance the Sandites to the second round of the playoffs.

The Class 6A No. 17 ranked Charles Page High School slow-pitch softball team (9-11) throttled Norman High School (5-12) with a 13-1 run rule-victory in only four innings.

The Lady Tigers came ready to play with two singles and a walk to load the bases in the top of the first. Sara Massey scored on a sacrifice fly and Triniti Crump walked to reload, but Arnold struck out Raven Fulks to strand three.

Arnold's solo homer tied it up in the bottom of the second, and the Sandites took the lead in the third. Kimi Presnell doubled in Drew Hawkins, then Usher's homer scored Presnell and Jacie Taber for a 5-1 advantage.

Sand Springs scattered seven hits for eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. Taber batted in Madelyn Blair. Felicity Horn and Hawkins scored on an error, then Taber came in on Presnell's homer. Makenna Skaggs singled in Usher for the ten-run lead, then scored on Arnold's second homer to seal the victory. 

Sand Springs wasn't so fortunate in their next game, taking on No. 3 Southmoore (23-5) who topped Norman 12-0 in game two to eliminate the Tigers from contention. The Sabercats shutout Sand Springs 11-0 in game one of a three-game series.

The host team out-hit the Sandites fourteen to five with home runs from Karli Petty, Hannah Seals, and Mikayla Smith. 

Southmoore scored four in the first, two in the third, three in the fourth, and two in the fifth for the run-rule victory. 

Usher doubled in the first, Luttrell singled in the third, and Arnold singled in the fourth. Cameron Clemons and Hawkins singled in the fifth, but Hawkins was outed on a fielder's choice to end the game.

Sand Springs will now have to beat the Sabercats in back-to-back games to punch their ticket to State.