SPANISH FORK — Rattling Lehi pitcher Mckensy Hillstead is not easy. When the pressure mounts, the sophomore Pioneer pitcher raises her game to another level.
The Uintah Utes found that out the hard way.
On Thursday, Hillstead fanned eight and allowed only three hits to lead Lehi to a 3-1 win over Uintah in the Class 3A softball tournament.
"I love these games," Hillstead said. "They are intense and you have to be perfect to win. I thought we did a pretty good job today."
Hillstead also did a nice job of getting her team out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.
"I don't know if you can rattle her," Lehi coach Kale Gillman said. "When she feels like the pressure is on, she likes to take us on her shoulders to do whatever it takes to get outs. She is not afraid to pack us when we need it."
Gillman will need another strong pitching performance at 11 a.m. today when her team plays Bear River at the Spanish Fork complex in the 3A semifinals.
"We're farther along than I thought we would be," Gillman said. "We just have a bunch of young kids that love to play. They stay the same intensity all the time. I think that is good."
Uintah scored its only run in the first inning on an RBI single by Jessica Wiseman. Ute pitcher Tiffany Parker also had a solid outing, scattering five hits while striking out five.
It took four innings before Lehi's offense was able to have success against Parker. With one out, Kylee Steadman hit a double to left. The inning looked as if it was going to end when Chantyle Hansen hit a ball to left-center, but the hit dropped and allowed Steadman to score.
Hillstead gave Lehi the lead for good at 2-1 when she lined a single to center field, allowing Hansen to score from second.
With two outs in the sixth, Steadman kept the inning alive with a single to center field. Steadman later scored after Parker walked three straight Lehi batters.
Uintah rallied in the bottom of the seventh by loading the bases with two outs. Lehi thought it won the game when Hansen tagged out Ramey Piva on her way to second following a hit by Richins. But the field umpire ruled her safe on the play to load the bases.
The attempted rally ended when Hillstead forced White to ground out to first.
"Of all the times she could have been rattled, it could have happened today," Gillman said. "We just stayed tough."