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By Wade Denniston
SALT LAKE CITY -- Sixth. That's what the Logan High softball team placed in the 4A state tournament after losing a 5-1 contest to Region 4-foe Box Elder on Tuesday at the Big Cottonwood Complex. Granted, it's not the No. 1 spot the Grizzlies (15-10 overall) were shooting for, but it is the best finish in the school's history. "I'm really proud of these girls," said first-year Logan head coach Mark Dewey. "I'm proud of this season." Prior to the loss to the Bees, Logan defeated Olympus, 6-0, in its first game of the day, enabling the Grizzlies to advance to the nightcap with defending state champion Box Elder. While losing to Box Elder was difficult for Logan, it wasn't nearly as difficult as seeing the season come to a close, especially for the five departing seniors. "The tough part is that the season ends," Dewey said, "and not that we lose. That's what's tough because I really love these kids, especially the seniors. "That's the most difficult thing about thisknowing that, for those girls in particular, something in their life has now come to an end." Pitcher Randi Carver, first baseman Sonnet Udy, shortstop Josie Nielsen, and outfielders Kadee Cazier and Tiffany Rowley all played their last game in the Grizzly crimson and gold. But they didn't go down without a fight, however. "We felt like we could win this game," Dewey said. "I thought their attitude was much better in this Box Elder game as compared to the previous one. They believed they could win this game today." Logan proved that in the bottom of the first by jumping out to a 1-0 lead, despite not getting a hit. Rowley led the inning off with a walk and she then took second on a wild pitch by Bee pitcher Ashley Allen. An error by shortstop Lisa Rackham allowed Rowley to score on a ball hit by Rachel Allred. But, that's all the damage the Grizzlies would do as Allen got the three, four and five batters out, leaving Allred stranded at third. Box Elder finally got on the board in the top of the third courtesy of a leadoff walk by Carver to the No. 9 hitter Kami Larson. With one out, a single down the left field line by Rackham put runners on first and second. An RBI single to left center from Tiffany Burt scored Larson. Rackham scored on the play as well, as Logan center fielder Tricia Skidmore misplayed the ball. "You've got to make the plays and we didn't make the plays when we needed to make the plays," Dewey said. "The game turns on those key moments." Yes, it does, and the Grizzlies found that out the hard way. Despite holding the Bees scoreless for the next two innings, Logan couldn't muster up any offense of its own after the first. Three separate times the Grizzlies went down in order in their half of the inning, and they didn't even record their first hit until one out in the sixth, breaking a span of 12 hitless innings against the Bees. "This is a good team," Dewey said. "They hit the ball well, they play smart, and they get great pitching from Ashley. "So, if you cannot make the plays when you need to make them, you wind up paying for it, and we did." Box Elder added a run in the sixth on no hits and three Logan errors, then two more runs in the seventh on three hits from the top of the order.
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