Wind causes havoc in region-opening contests

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ST. GEORGE – The windy conditions were the real starts as Region 9 softball began Tuesday. The six region teams squared off in round one of 10 nights of competition. Below is a breakdown of Tuesday’s action:
Snow Canyon 3, Hurricane 1
On a super windy afternoon, this game came down to a pitching duel between Snow Canyon’s Heather Prestwich and Hurricane’s Savannah Garner. “The wind affected play on both sides,” said Snow Canyon head coach Tracee Heaton. “Both teams had some defensive errors. We were in a better position to take advantage of them.” Indeed, two of Snow Canyon’s runs came as a result of a Lady Tiger miscue. In the first inning, Cammie Johnson scored from third as a result of a wild pitch. The Lady Warriors got another run when Taylor Gunn hit a double in the third inning to drive in Caitlyn Flowers from second base. Hurricane halved the lead in the top of the fourth when Jayden Smith’s double scored Hayley Teta. But Snow Canyon would match the run in the bottom of the inning when Sammie Johnston scored on a fielding error by the Hurricane left fielder. “We had some errors that we probably don’t have without this wind,” said Hurricane head coach Gordon Dotson. “But both teams had to play with it. They got four hits. We got three. Overall we played well defensively.“ The teams not only played in a fierce wind, but also a brisk temperature where the clouds blocked out the afternoon sun. Despite some miscues, there were also good defensive plays made throughout the game. Garner faced a bases-loaded, nobody-out second inning and was able to bring the Tigers through it unscathed. In the third inning, Tiger left fielder Smith made a running catch on Natalie Gunn’s shot to the outfield, then threw to second base to get the runner on a double play. In the sixth inning, Warrior third baseman Sonya Hardy made a diving catch on a bunt that popped up a few feet from home plate. Hardy then rose and appeared to have caught the runner at first base, though she did not get the call from the base umpire. Prestwich came away with the win, striking out eight and allowing three hits. “The wind required some adjustment,” said Prestwich. “But I was able to put the ball where I wanted, for the most part. “ Snow Canyon moves to 6-0-1 overall and 1-0 in region play. Hurricane drops to 8-5 overall, 1-0 in region. The Warriors will play at Dixie on Mar. 30. The Tigers will host Enterprise Wednesday. Game time is 4 p.m.