San Juan softball team bounces back from loss to defeat Parowan

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The San Juan Lady Broncos traveled all the way up to Duchesne on Saturday, May 3 just to play a very familiar foe in the first round of the 2A Utah State Softball Tournament.
For the third time this season #10 San Juan squared off with local rival and seventh-seeded Grand County. They had beaten the Lady Red Devils in their previous two meetings.
The Lady Broncos opened the scoring in their first-round state tournament matchup in the top of the third inning. Averie Gilson walked, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball, then came home on a passed ball.
But Grand answered to take the lead in their half of the third when Hope Shumway homered, driving in Kyndee Cluff and making the score 2-1.
Now in the lead, Lady Red Devil pitcher Chloe Byrd simply shut down the San Juan offense. She allowed just two baserunners for the remainder of the game as her own offense took care of the rest.
Grand added four runs to their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when they loaded the bases on two walks and a single. Byrd was hit by a pitch, helping her own cause by forcing in Cluff.
Three more Lady Red Devils crossed the plate on a passed ball followed by a Bailey Althoff single and Grand took the game 6-1.
San Juan mustered just two hits in the loss, one from Miley Harrison and one from Morgann McPherson. McPherson’s hit was a triple, but the Lady Broncos were unable to drive her in.
Khatira Keith pitched the entire game, allowing six runs on six hits and striking out ten Grand County batters.
Following the tough loss San Juan rebounded mightily to take down #15 Parowan 16-4 and stay alive in the hunt for a state title.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning but the Lady Broncos exploded for eight in the second and six in the fourth to smother the Lady Rams.
San Juan collected 14 hits in the win while pitcher Kheirra Keith allowed just three to Parowan. She fanned ten Lady Ram batters on the way to the convincing win.
Morgann McPherson was a perfect 4-for-4 with a very impressive seven RBIs and two runs scored. Her hits included two doubles and a home run.
Sadie Cosby was also perfect, with a 2-for-2 effort. She drove in two San Juan runs and scored two. Averie Gilson was 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs, and two runs scored.
Colee Crofts, Khatira Keith, Miley Harrison, Elizabeth Palmer, Madden Perkins, and Keegan Palmer all got hits for the Lady Broncos also. Harrison drove in two runs while Keith and Perkins got one RBI apiece.
San Juan’s state title hopes are still alive, but they need five straight wins to earn a spot in the state championship game. Additionally, they would have to beat the final undefeated team twice to win the tournament.
The girls will travel to Spanish Fork on Thursday, May 8 where they will await the result of the South Sevier vs. Milford matchup at 10 a.m.
They’ll play the loser of that game in the one-loss second round with the first pitch set for 4:45 p.m. at the Spanish Fork Softball Complex.