RIVERTON — Riverton softball coach Emily Cederholm knows she didn't see the same West Jordan team that's been turning heads this spring.

With injuries to both their starting pitchers and their starting second baseman, the Jaguars struggled defensively against the Silverwolves potent offense.

"We know the next time we see West Jordan it is not going to be the same team," said Cederholm. "They're a good team, and we talked about that with our girls."

The Silverwolves opened up with seven runs against an injured Lindsey Powell, who attempted to throw despite having a shoulder injury that will likely end her season. Powell did earn a double for the Jaguars, but the Silverwolves' defense managed to keep any base runners from scoring. The game's only other extra base hit came from Riverton's Rose Swenson.

Riverton has struggled to find the same energy they started the season with after the weather sent them indoors and rained out four games in a row.

"A week and a half in the gym is what happened to us," said Cederholm. Riverton suffered its first loss against Jordan and a close call against Kearns.

"I'd rather have (struggles) now rather than later," she said. "I told my girls great teams bounce back."

The team focused on details like base running while adjusting to playing on dirt again.

"It is so good to be outside," Cederholm said. "Playing in the gym is so different and it's going to take a while. Today was nice in that we're outside and some of my players who'd been struggling hit well and got some confidence back."

West Jordan was undefeated coming into Tuesday's region game, and the Jaguars were trying not to get too discouraged by a loss everyone agrees is an anomaly.

"This definitely was not our best showing," said Jaguar coach Carlson Boudroux. "We have played better, and we will play better."

The Jaguars hope junior pitcher Katie Kearns will be back soon after recovering from a burst appendix two weeks ago. West Jordan will take on Fremont Wednesday night, and win or lose, Boudroux said they will play better and "get the bad taste" of the Riverton loss out of their mouths.

"We'll learn what we have to learn from it," he said. "This will help us. . . . it will help us get motivated to do better . . . And to their credit, they never quit either."

---

E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com