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.