PLAIN CITY — Long bus rides aren't something that most Salt Lake County schools are accustomed to, but after Thursday's performance in Plain City, the Jordan softball team might want to continue those long rides before big games.
The fifth-ranked Beetdiggers traveled about 50 miles to Region 1 champion Fremont's home field Thursday, and began the game with all the offense they'd need in their 4-0 win over the Silver Wolves.
"I guess we just brought the bats out when we needed to," said pitcher Belinda Cardenas, who, like Fremont's Haley Schumers, struck out 12 batters. "It wasn't really an upset; it was just two teams playing a really good game. We just came out and scored, and they had to play catch-up the whole game, and didn't get it done."
The Beetdiggers, a No. 3 seed out of Region 2, held the No. 1 seeded Silver Wolves scoreless despite giving them the same number of hits — six — in the contest. Jordan catcher Franci Joyner walked in her first at-bat and then Cami Jones smacked a double and drove Joyner home. Cardenas was hit with a pitch to get on base, and then Cassidee LePrey hit a single. But it was her sister, Shawnee LePrey, who earned the hit that seemed to knock the wind out of the normally offensively formidable Silver Wolves.
"That was the heart-breaker," said Fremont coach Jim Fuller, a former Box Elder coach who's taken a team all the way to the title game through the losers' bracket. He was upbeat with his team after the game, although he didn't hide his disappointment.
"That just means they've got a short route and we've got a long one," he said.
Schumers has pitched several games a day in preseason tournaments and he plans to keep her on the mound as Fremont tries to make good on its state championship hopes.
"I don't want to be the person to take the ball away from her," he said.
And it wasn't pitching that was the problem in Thursday's loss — it was hitting.
"We've just got to start hitting the ball in critical situations," he said. "We've seen good hitters and good defensive teams. But we haven't seen any good rise-ball pitchers until today."
Jordan coach Steve Hendricks was also impressed with his senior pitcher's game.
"Totally awesome," he said with a smile. "She's just been getting better and better. She works out every single day . . . I told her to condition herself so in case we needed her to pitch three in a row she could. I think she could throw five."
He acknowledged Schumers was equally good after that first inning, but added that Jordan has really concentrated on hitting.
The entire team has put in extra time on the field in order to continue a tradition some thought would end with the graduation of seven seniors last spring.
"These kids are pretty motivated," he said. "I don't think I've had one miss practice, even the freshman. They all show up consistently, on time and they work hard."
Cardenas said as her team's defense has improved so has her pitching.
"In the beginning, our defense was a little shaky and I was timid," she said. "But our defense has improved and they're playing so well, I feel more confident."
In other 5A playoff games Thursday:
ALTA 13, HUNTER 2:Jana Anderson had a bases-loaded triple in an eight-run first inning that secured Alta's win over Hunter. Mandy Grow rapped a two-run double in the fourth and the Hawks ended the game early on the 11-run rule.
TAYLORSVILLE 9, COPPER HILLS 2:Staci Hemingway and Dabney Sundquist both went 3-for-3 to lead Taylorsville over Copper Hills. Hemingway finished with a home run, two doubles and four RBIs while Sundquist rapped a homer and scored four runs.
BINGHAM 11, SKYLINE 1: The Miners' bats came alive in a four-run third en route to a win over visiting Skyline. Shandy VanOrden led the charge, going 2-for-3 with two doubles. Alli Bunkall scored three times for the victors.
KEARNS 4, RIVERTON 2:Kara Bendt had a double and triple while earning the victory on the mound as Kearns topped Riverton.
DAVIS 2, WEBER 1:Cambria Cummings belted a game-winning triple in the bottom of the ninth as Davis beat Weber in a low-scoring affair. Angie Gines pitched a complete game for Davis, notching eight strikeouts.
LAYTON 5, HILLCREST 3:Haili Squire earned a complete-game victory for the Lancers as they outlasted Hillcrest in a tight game.
VIEWMONT 10, CLEARFIELD 0:Jessica Beckstrand went 3-for-4 and Mandi Wilding had five RBIs as Viewmont beat Clearfield. Amanda Sarle earned the victory.
E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com