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Orem • The Corner Canyon softball team jumped out to a quick lead and made it hold up as it defeated Timpanogos 5-0 on the road Tuesday afternoon.

In the opening inning, senior Katie Dale drove in two runs with a hit to right field. That turned out to be all the Chargers would need to win the Region 7 contest.

Speaking of opposing pitcher Addy Lattey, Dale said, "She's definitely a very good pitcher, but she started out trying to quick-pitch me and that made me mad.

"I hit better if I'm a little angry," Dale continued. "When she threw me a change-up on the outside corner, I hit it to right field."

Those were the only runs until the top of the seventh inning when Dale started a rally with a two-out single that eventually yielded three insurance runs.

Sophomore Abigail Opheikens threw a masterful game for the visitors. When these two teams met the first time on April 13, they combined for 30 runs. She started that game but was pulled partway through.

In this outing, Opheikens went the distance, scattered seven hits and gave up nothing.

"Last time I felt like I was a little off my game," she said. "Today I felt more focused and got a lot of help from my defense."

She explained, "I'm more of a contact pitcher, so good defense is really important when I'm out there."

Dale added that Opheikens "hit her spots and kept the Timpanogos hitters off-balance. The other difference was that today we were able to get outs."

Opheikens started on varsity as a freshman last season and is one of three pitchers that Corner Canyon regularly uses.

She said her coaches told them on the way to the game that if they lost, they might lose the region title.

"That made me really nervous," she said. She didn't find out until after the final inning that the coaches were just trying to pump up the team, but she didn't mind because the girls had their own goal.

"We want to go undefeated in region," she said. "That in itself would be a great accomplishment and would help us get ready for state." —

Storylines

The Corner Canyon softball team widened its lead in Region 7 by blanking Timpanogos on the road.

The Chargers (16-7, 13-0) had already secured the league title and first seed into the state tournament.

The Timberwolves (16-11, 9-4) have assured themselves of no worse than a tie for second place.