High school softball: Lehi edges Springville in 4A third-round playoff game

LEHI — The old adage that pitching and defense win softball championships could prove itself true during the 4A state softball tournament. Both Lehi and Springville took the saying to heart Thursday and counted heavily on great defensive play and stellar performances by their pitchers.

But in the end it was Lehi, which put up barely enough offense to defeat longtime rival Springville and advance to the third round of the state tournament and solidly in the winners' bracket heading up to Valley Complex next Tuesday with a 1-0 victory.

The Red Devils didn't commit a single error in the contest and proved themselves in the field with some nice catches and throws and some solid decision-making. Though Lehi committed a pair of errors in the seventh inning, it had fabulous play in the field the rest of the way, including a nifty catch by Natalie Johnson in right field that stole an important single from the Red Devils.

Springville's Aria Agle fanned nine, walked only one and gave up a mere five hits in the game, but it wasn't quite enough as Lehi's Ariel Zimmerman struck out eight, walked a pair and only gave up a single hit in the shutout.

Most people felt this game could have gone either way from the moment the two teams discovered they were playing each other, and it really had that feel all the way through, though the Pioneers struck in the bottom of the first and held on with their fingernails for the narrow win.

Aly White led things off in the first for the Pioneers with a gorgeous double down the third base line. After Agle struck out the next batter, it was Zimmerman's turn to send a double sailing into deep center, bringing home the only run in the game and helping herself with the game-winning RBI.

"We would definitely have liked some more insurance runs, but Ariel is pitching fabulous, and her ball is moving so well right now," said Lehi coach Leslee Warr after Zimmerman's second tough performance in as many days. The pitcher has only given up a single run in her last two appearances against some of the state's toughest competition.

And things don't get easier for the Pioneers from here. They will play the winner of the Uintah vs. Olympus battle, which takes place later Friday.

"It only gets tougher from here. At this point, I think it comes down to mental preparedness," said Warr.

Zimmerman and White each picked up a single to go with their doubles, and Brianne McBride added a single of her own, but the hits were spread out, and no more runs could cross the plate. The Pioneers stranded only five runners, while Springville left four on the bases.

Agle was the only Springville batter who could get a handle on Zimmerman's pitching as she smacked a single to right field in the fourth inning.

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