ST. GEORGE — The Snow Canyon softball team sent its senior class out in style Friday night in a domination over Dixie at home.

Snow Canyon’s Avery Thorkelson looks at a pitch from Dixie in a Region 9 softball game, St. George, Utah, April 26, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

The Warriors finished 8-4 in region play after the win, good for third place. Cedar just edged Snow Canyon for second after the Reds beat Hurricane twice last week and finished 9-3.

Meanwhile, region champion Desert Hills lost 12-1 to Ridgeline. The Riverhawks won Region 11 and are 20-1 overall.

Some Region 9 teams have a couple more non-region games to play before the 4A state tournament brackets are released next week.

The Regionals round of the 4A state tournament will be played at home sites May 3 and 4.

Snow Canyon 17, Dixie 1

The Warriors erupted for 17 runs off of 13 hits to put away the Flyers.

The game could not have begun better for Dixie after Morgan Staheli belted a lead-off home run, putting the Flyers ahead 1-0.

Dixie’s Morgan Staheli (right) crosses the plate after a home run against Snow Canyon in a Region 9 softball game, St. George, Utah, April 26, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

After that it was all Snow Canyon as the Warriors tied it with one in the first, took the lead with four runs in the third and then brought the curtain down on the game with a dozen in the fourth.

Senior Allie Landis had a monster day in her last home game with the Warriors. She tripled among her two hits and drove in a team high four RBIs in the win.

Junior Tycie Fuller belted a three-run home run for Snow Canyon and freshman Shayne Gertge hit a two-run shot. Alyssa Staheli’s solo homer was Snow Canyon’s third in the win.

Victoria Carson doubled and drove in a run and Jenny Zapata collected two RBIs with her single.

Senior Meah Stafford had two hits, two RBIs and scored three times for Snow Canyon. Maycee Smith also drove in two for the winners.

Senior pitcher Avery Thorkelson shined in her final region game at home, throwing four innings and yielding one run off of two hits. She walked two and struck out nine Flyers.

Thorkelson will take her talents to Snow College next year but first she and the rest of the Warriors look forward to the 4A state tournament.

Cedar 7, Hurricane 6 | Cedar 10, Hurricane 8

The Cedar Reds swept Hurricane in two close games this week.

Cedar’s Sadie Parson delivers a pitch vs. Hurricane in Region 9 softball action, Cedar City, Utah, April 25, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

In Tuesday’s contest at Hurricane, the Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-3 lead. Abby Stout capped off the rally with a bases-loaded double.

Cedar picked up another run in the fifth on a fielder’s choice, then regained the lead in the top of the sixth when two runs came in on a double by Marley Geddes, making it 7-5 Cedar.

Hurricane scored on a fielding error in the bottom of the seventh to pull within one run, but Cedar pitcher Sadie Parson retired three of the last four batters to end the game with two runners on base.

Parson went the distance for the Reds, allowing six runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking three.

Two days later at Cedar City, the Reds took an early 2-0 lead after one inning and boosted it to 6-1 after three. 

The Tigers got back in the game by scoring three runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

Then, in the top of the seventh, Hurricane tied the game 8-8 when Emma Patterson singled to right field with two outs, driving in teammate Faith Fuller, who had singled to lead off the inning.

Cedar’s first two batters in the bottom of the seventh both got out, after which Parson walked.

That brought up Shaylee Johnson, who drilled a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for the thrilling walkoff victory. It was the second home run of the game for Johnson, who ended up with five RBIs.

Once again, Parson pitched the entire game in picking up the win. She allowed eight runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out 12.

– written by Jeff Richards

Region 9 softball standings (region, overall) as of April 27:

Desert Hills  12-0, 20-3
Cedar  9-3, 16-7
Snow Canyon  8-4, 17-6
Crimson Cliffs  6-6, 12-10
Hurricane  5-7, 15-9
Dixie  1-11, 6-18
Pine View  1-11, 3-19

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