Snow Canyon continues to roll through softball World Series

Breckyn Atkinson of West (Snow Canyon) connects with the ball against the East team from Rhode Island during Junior League Softball World Series, Kirkland, Wash., July 30, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Scott Miller, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The Snow Canyon Little League all-star softball team won its second pool game in as many days at the Junior League Softball World Series in Kirkland, Washington. On Monday, Snow Canyon, the West division champs from Santa Clara, Utah, defeated the East champions from Cranston, Rhode Island, by a score of 5-0.

Jenna Thorkelson of West (Snow Canyon) pitches against the East team from Rhode Island during Junior League Softball World Series, Kirkland, Wash., July 30, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Natalie Neva, St. George News

The game was scoreless until Snow Canyon managed one run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Prior to that, the Utah team had struggled against the dominant pitching of Rhode Island’s Josalina Di Troia, who didn’t allow a single baserunner until walking McKenna Staheli in the bottom of the fourth.

After being challenged by the coaching staff, Snow Canyon managed to tally a run in the fifth. Sydney McCaul singled, then stole second base. She scored on a solid single by Jael Wilde, giving the West a 1-0 lead.

West’s starting pitcher Jenna Thorkelson then retired the side in the top of the sixth, after which Snow Canyon seized the opportunity to put a few more insurance runs on the scoreboard.

After Staheli led off the inning with a single, Thorkelson hit it up the middle and ended up reaching second on an error, leaving runners at second and third with no outs.

Pinch hitter Breckyn Atkinson then sharply hit the ball to shortstop, with Staheli coming in from third on the fielder’s choice play to make it 2-0.

“I was proud of Breckyn. She has been swinging the bat really well and I knew she would make contact. I challenged her and she came up big. That RBI was huge for us and seemed to take the wind out of East,” West head coach Jeremy Mooring said.

Tavie Landis of Snow Canyon makes a catch in left field for the final out of the game in West’s 5-0 win over the East team from Rhode Island during Junior League Softball World Series, Kirkland, Wash., July 30, 2018 | Photo courtesy of Tara Landis, St. George News

Shortly after that, Ginny Deming belted a ground-rule double that bounced over the centerfield fence and scored two more runs. McCaul later hit a double of her own to bring in Deming for West’s fifth and final run.

The East team went down quietly in the top of the seventh with a fly out, ground out and fly out. Thorkelson finished with a complete game shutout, scattering four hits while striking out three and walking two batters.

Monday’s win pushed the Snow Canyon Little League to a 2-0 record in pool play, giving them first place in their pool with two games left to play before the seeded single-elimination tournament begins. Tuesday, West is scheduled to face the Europe-Africa champions, Emilia Romagna Little League of Bologna, Italy, at 10:30 a.m. PST.

On Wednesday, Snow Canyon will wrap up pool play with an 11 a.m. contest against the Southwest U.S. champions from Smithville, Texas.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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