High school softball: Ariel Zimmerman out of the circle but not spotlight

LEHI — It was all about Ariel Zimmerman on the Lehi softball field Wednesday afternoon.

She started racking up stats in the first inning with her first RBI, and was getting warmed up. In the third after she smacked her grand slam home run over the right field fence.

Zimmerman wasn't in her usual position in the circle. That place belonged to Whitney Cook as the Pioneers took on the Skyhawks from Salem Hills. But left field worked out just fine as Zimmerman picked up five RBIs, two runs, a pair of singles and that impressive grand slam in a 7-5 Pioneers victory.

"She's is very consistent with her hitting in the last few games. I wasn't even sure that one had gone over the fence (because of a distraction), but it was a great grand slam," said Lehi coach Leslie Warr.

The Pioneers found themselves behind 2-1 upon entering the bottom of the third inning, and committing errors became contagious for the Skyhawks as they committed three straight to help Lehi load the bases with a single out. Then Zimmerman came to the plate in a position she knows well and likes.

But when she got hold of the ball and sent it sailing out over the right field fence, the Salem Hills right fielder slammed headlong and full speed into the right field fence as the ball slipped just beyond her glove.

She had some minor problems with her mouth after the play, and most of the crowd was more concerned about the player than they were about Zimmerman's first grand slam of the season. The hit that gave Lehi a 5-2 lead in the game.

The Pioneers picked up another pair of runs in the fifth, which they needed as a cushion on singles by Kelli Joe Jenkins, Zimmerman, Cook and Brianne McBride.

Warr is happy with her team's hitting so far this season, and she's happy with the fielding for the most part in the Pioneers' four victories, but she noted that as with most other teams in the early season, her team has had a few fielding difficulties so far.

Lehi's two errors both came in the top of the sixth after Salem Hills' Amanda Tuttle reached on a single to left center. A throwing error and a catching error then allowed the single Skyhawk hit to score three runs for Salem Hills in the sixth, bringing them back to within two runs at 7-5. But Cook finished the Skyhawks off in the seventh with three up three down.

"Whitney came in and threw well for us. We were able to give her some experience. Overall, when they (Salem Hills) got up, I was worried because we have a tendency to get down. But we came back strong and held our composure," said Warr, who is happy with her new region and excited to play against the strong teams in 4A again.

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