1 hit, 1 run keeps Fremont unbeaten

LAYTON — It's a good thing Fremont softball coach Jim Fuller has a good relationship with the school's cheerleading coach.

If he didn't, he might not be undefeated in region play.

That's because lead-off batter Heidi Scadden might not have been at Fremont's softball game against Layton Tuesday as it was the first day of cheerleading tryouts.

"I had to negotiate with her cheerleading coach for her to be here today," said Fuller with a smile after third-ranked Fremont's 1-0 win over fifth-ranked Layton. "We just needed one hit to break the game open."

And Scadden had that hit as the first batter in the first inning.

The junior smacked a double, was bunted to second and then she scored the game's only run on an infield pop-up to the catcher that the wind kept airborne just a couple extra seconds. That was all the time Scadden, the team's fastest base runner, needed to get across home plate.

"I started running because there were two outs, and I was thinking is it fair? Is it foul? But I just kept running," said the centerfielder. "I figured the worst they can do is send me back."

But the ball was fair, and it wasn't caught, so Scadden scored. She also scored the team's only run on an error in Fremont's win over Layton in their first region meeting. Scadden was happy the run came in the first inning, instead of the seventh, like last game.

"I didn't want to wait until the end like last time," she said with a smile.

Fuller shook his head when considering how his team beat its biggest region rival twice on unearned runs.

"This is big," he said of the win that puts the No. 3 Silver Wolves 5-0 in region play. "With my birthday coming up Saturday, this was a great present."

He said Scadden starting the game with a hit helped the Silver Wolves, who didn't earn any hits off of Layton's pitcher Haili Squire in their last meeting.

"We hit a lot better," Fuller said. "The score is the same . . . But in this game, all you have to do is have one more than they do when it ends."

He's grateful to get past what he views as the toughest team in region 1, and hopes the rest of the season will adequately prepare his squad for the state tournament.