LAYTON — Jasey Jensen's double in the fifth inning earned her more than another region win. It earned her bragging rights at the next family get-together.
Jensen's timely hit scored teammate Kacie Johnson, who got on base in the bottom of the fifth inning when she was hit by a pitch. Then Lancer pitcher Sheila Adams hit a single that scored Jensen and gave Layton a one-run advantage. The team scored one more run in the 3-1 win that gives the top-ranked Lancers a 4-0 region record.
For Jensen, the win wasn't just over a fourth-ranked region rival. It was a victory over her cousin, Fremont shortstop Haylee Hoch. Both girls have grown up playing softball with their mothers, who are sisters, and each wears the No. 13.
"It's a family number for sure," said Jensen, who pointed out that Haylee's older sister, Tracee, wears the number as BYU's second baseman, as do Jasey's brothers, one in college and one playing for Layton's varsity team.
"We're competitive and we talk a lot on the field ... Tracee is my idol. If I can be half as good as her, I'll be happy."
Jensen's father is Layton's head coach, and he said he always hopes his niece plays well, but just not so well she beats the Lancers.
"Haylee is such a good hitter," said coach Kevin Jensen, "and so is Mechel Hunt. I just wanted to keep the ball in the park against Fremont, and then I thought we'd have a chance."
Layton had more than a chance after it overcame a slow start to beat an offensively loaded Silver Wolves squad.
"I honestly think we came out a little flat because of that long spring break," he said. "It took us five or six innings to get our feet underneath us."
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Jasey Jensen agreed with her father's sentiment that spring break slowed the Lancers' start Tuesday.
"We had practice when we could, but we had tons of girls out of town," she said. "I don't think any of us were nervous, but we were frustrated at the beginning because we weren't hitting as well as we should."
Jasey said the team is confident that someone will do what's necessary to keep the Lancers winning games, and her dad agreed.
"Everybody seems to be coming through for us," he said. "For some reason, when someone isn't playing as well, somebody else comes through."
Fremont coach Jim Fuller was frustrated that the Silver Wolves actually hit better than the Lancers but ended up losing the game due to some base-running errors. Like coach Jensen, he felt the week off made it tough for his team to return to pre-spring break form.
"That week off was tough," Fuller said. "We just made youth mistakes. It's hard when you hit the ball as well as we did, but you don't get anything for it. ... All of a sudden we were reverting back to rookie mistakes."
Both coaches said Region 1 is so competitive that they have to keep their squads focused on each opponent.
"They're good kids, and they'll work hard to come back from this," said Fuller.
Adds Kevin Jensen, "We're going to take this step by step. ... It's going to be a rat race."
E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com