BEAR RIVER HIGH – By Justice Wise – April 1, 2021
The Lady Bears’ softball team at Bear River High School had an incredible week last week scoring a total of 42 runs and allowing only eight runs in three games.
Unfortunately, this article isn’t long enough to mention all those who scored runs this week and made three victories in a row possible, so the entire team should be congratulated on such a dominating streak of wins.
The first game of the week found the Lady Bears taking on the Logan High School Grizzlies in a short-lived battle of the bruins at home on March 23. Logan started the game at bat, but thanks to the excellent pitching of Kate Dahle and the incredible skills of Taige Austin at first base, the Grizzlies sent out three batters to the Bear’s den and three batters left unsuccessful.
In the Bears’ second at-bat at the bottom of the first inning, a hard line drive straight to Logan High’s pitcher Mak Graves took her out of the game indefinitely. Replacing Graves on the mound for the Grizzlies was freshman Sydney Graves - her sister.
Bears came out with a fury and scored three runs, one of which was by senior Olivia Taylor which came off of a triple base hit by junior McCall Maxfield. The second inning was reminiscent of the first with the Dahle-Austin pair sending three Grizzlies back to the dugout, in as many plays. The Bears came out and stole any hope of a Grizzly victory away with five runs, two of which came from seniors Kortnie Burton and Cami Gibbs off a wild pitch.
The Bears decided to end the game early with a mercy ruling coming in the third inning along with the Bears’ 15th run on the day. The score would end 15-0.
Want to watch the game again? Check out Bear River Live's footage HERE!
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In their second game of the week the Lady Bears traveled south to Spanish Fork to play the Maple Mountain High School Golden Eagles on March 24. The Bears took a commanding lead in the second inning with six runs being scored that included a three-run home run.
The Bears would not score again until the fifth inning when Dahle took her place at the plate and cleared the fence with a three-run home run for this sophomore sensation. The Eagles were kept off the scoreboard until the same inning when they matched the Bears’ three runs with their own.
These would prove to be the only runs the Eagles would be able to score against the Bear defense. The Bears rounded off their already wide margin of victory with five runs in the sixth. Burton swung the bat with finesse and talent and went 4-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs to lead the Bears in hitting.
Maxfield went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple while her older sister Oaklie Maxfield, a senior at Bear River High, had a double. Junior Kynlei Nelson brought in a double for the Bears too.
On the mound for the Bears was junior Jordyn Warren. She started things out for the Lady Bears pitching the first four innings, striking out five and giving up just two hits. Sophomore Baylee Sorensen finished out the of the game striking out three and giving up two hits.
In their final game of the week on Friday, March 26, the Lady Bears travelled over the mountains to Cache Valley where they went head-to-head with the Ridgeline High School Riverhawks.
Ridgeline came out swinging with one run in the first inning. The Riverhawks would maintain a one-run lead until the third inning when M. Maxfield stepped up to the plate and smacked a homer to center field, sending herself, Nelson and Taylor home. A Ridgeline score in the bottom of the fifth would tie the game until a Burton single that sent freshman Kaya Towne home for the score.
It wasn’t until the seventh inning that the Bears decided to tap into their reserve energy and really cut loose. That inning included a two-run double from Burton and a three-run double from junior Haylee “Bob” Farnsworth to right field.
The Bears took home a 12-5 victory over Ridgeline High in Region 11 play.
Once again M. Maxfield led the Lady Bears at the plate going 4-for-4 with four RBIs. Burton went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.
Up next for the Lady Bears is a trip to Farmington High School on Wednesday, April 7, and a home game against cross-country rivals Box Elder High School on Friday, April 9, starting at 3:30 p.m.