WASHINGTON TERRACE -- The Lakers' 16-game winning streak is toast. Hopefully, Bonneville High School's softball season is not.
Between intermittent rain showers Wednesday, the undefeated Region 5 champion Lakers had to swallow a bitter pill -- their first shutout loss.
"Once this team gets down, they battle back harder," Bonneville coach Brenda Hart said. "With Amber's pitching and our defense, we played well enough to win. We had outstanding defense and Amber did an awesome job."
Lakers junior right-hander Amber Hancock threw a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and a first-inning walk, but state 4-A newcomer Uintah -- the Utes were 3-A runners-up last year to Bear River -- rode Chanel Pace's two-out, fourth-inning solo home run over the right-center field fence to a 1-0 state 4-A playoff win at CD Field.
"Amber strikes out 13 and gives up one hit. You can't ask a pitcher to do a better job," Hart said. "I think she (Pace) got a lucky hit; they put the bat on the ball at a good time."
Bonneville had just two hits off Uintah junior right-hander Taylor Craven, who rang up a season-high nine Ks with one walk.
"There was no hitting from us," Hart said. "I'm not disappointed, but a little surprised. We waited too long to start hitting the ball. I told the girls to keep their heads up. A winning streak has to end sometimes, and it's better to have it end now than later."
Steph Mark singled off a home-run fence pole in center field leading off the seventh inning and was sacrificed to second base by Haley Haas.
After a pop-up to Craven, McKinlee Westmoreland drew a two-out walk.
A ground ball hit to the left side and subsequent forceout at second base ended Bonneville's scoring threat.
The Lakers (19-4 overall) defeated Uintah 2-1 in a March 16 non-league game.
Kelsi Quigley, who reached base on a fielding error leading off the second, was tagged out trying to score from third base after a Utes' throwing error.
5-A playoffs
* ROY 14, COTTONWOOD 0 (FIVE INNINGS): At Roy's Sand Ridge Park, junior right-hander MaCauley Flint tossed a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks in the Royals' seventh consecutive victory.
Breanne Vandersteen went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and scored two runs. McCall Pratt smacked a two-run homer in the third inning; Jordynn Barrera drilled an RBI double with a walk and two runs; Bryce Mitchell had a two-run single; and Taler Clements had a two-run double for the defending 4-A champion Royals (23-1).
* FREMONT 4, MURRAY 2: At Murray, the Silver Wolves avenged a 5-4 non-league setback to the undefeated Region 2 champion Spartans on April 19 at Plain City's Dick Scadden Field.
Whitney Wallace hit a two-run shot for Fremont (15-8).
* LONE PEAK 6, DAVIS 2: At Highland, the Darts (10-10) dropped into the one-loss bracket.





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