SPANISH FORK — The Tooele Buffaloes really don't need to post many runs when Lindsey Palmer's on the hill.
The sophomore hurler tossed another gem Thursday in shutting out the Snow Canyon Warriors 3-0 in the winners' bracket of the Class 3A softball playoffs. Palmer struck out 11 and gave up only two hits.
Tooele's offense wasn't much better, also getting only two hits. However, the Buffaloes were just more fortunate, taking advantage of three Snow Canyon errors and four walks.
The Buffaloes scored a run in the bottom of the first on two walks, a sacrifice bunt and a grounder to second by Ashley Arbon. They went up 3-0 with two more in the fourth. Staci Patch opened with a single and Arbon reached when her grounder to second went past the Warriors' Lindsey Larsen. Brandie Allen followed with another grounder to second, but Larsen's throw home got past catcher Tara Moyer and both runners ended up scoring.
Tooele loaded the bases in the sixth, but failed to score on two straight grounders.
Snow Canyon only threatened to score a few times. The Warriors had two runners on in the first, on an error and walk, but Palmer ended the inning with a strike out and a fly out. Lindsey Thompson led off the fourth with a single, but Palmer then struck out the next three hitters. Amber Whitehead got Snow Canyon's second hit in the sixth, but two more strike outs ended that threat also.
In other 3A playoff games Thursday:
NORTH SANPETE 10, UNION 5: North Sanpete scored three runs in the first and two runs apiece in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to defeat Union.
LEHI 3, UINTAH 1: The Pioneers scored twice in the fourth for all the cushion they needed in a narrow win over the Utes
BEAR RIVER 6, CANYON VIEW 2: The Bears pounded out 15 hits and scored two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth to topple the Falcons.
CARBON 9, CANYON VIEW 4: Carbon scored eight runs in the first three innings, mounting a lead that Canyon View could not overcome.
GRANTSVILLE 6, UINTAH 1: After defeating Pine View earlier in the day, Grantsville eliminated Uintah to move on in the losers' bracket of the 3A State Tournament.
UNION 4, CEDAR 3: Cedar took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning before watching Union rally for two runs of its own to get the win and stay alive in the loser's bracket.
SNOW CANYON 11, DELTA 1: The Warriors scored eleven runs, despite only six hits, and played flawless defense to defeat Delta. A four-run third got the Snow Canyon bats going, followed by two three-run innings in the fifth and sixth.