Late-inning heroics send PG softball past Westlake 3-2 – heraldextra.com

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

Pleasant Grove first baseman Mailey Gillen celebrates an out in a Region 3 softball game against Westlake on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
You can’t hit a home run every time you’re at the plate.
Not even if your name is Maile Larsen.
Pleasant Grove’s senior second baseman, no kidding, hit ten home runs last week in seven games (four at the Payson Icebreaker Tournament).
On Tuesday against Westlake, Larsen struggled to find her stroke in her first two at-bats, striking out and grounding out.
Her third attempt, with PG down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, went considerably better. Larsen laced a shot into center for a double, starting a rally that ended with a sacrifice fly by Maya Pawelek for the game-winning run in a 3-2 Vikings victory.
Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

The Pleasant Grove softball team celebrates after scoring a run in a Region 3 game against Westlake on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
“I liked where we were in the order,” Pleasant Grove coach Leslie Young said.
It took a while for the Vikings to figure out Westlake starter Brilynn Attebery, who allowed just one hit through the first six innings.
After her double, Larsen advanced to third on a single from Maya Parry and came home on a bunt single by Allyson Young to tie the game at 2. The next batter, Pawelek, lifted a fly ball to center that easily scored Parry from second for the winning run.
“I felt like I had a great week last week,” Larsen said. “I was focused and locked in and I was calm. Today in my first two at-bats I felt like I wasn’t going at the ball aggressively or getting deep into the count. So when I went up to bat I told myself, ‘Let’s go. You’ve got to do this for the team.’ I was just super positive.”
Larsen has 18 home runs and 46 RBI this season, which leads the state.
Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

Pleasant Grove’s Keslie Draney fires a pitch in a Region 3 softball game against Westlake on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Young said, “Maile is one you won’t fool every at-bat. She’ll eventually get you. She’s been on fire this year and she’s been a real chemistry leader, a real energy leader, a real core part of our team since her freshman year.”
Westlake (10-3 overall, 2-1 in Region 3) took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo home run from Ryan Pead. PG tied things up in the bottom of the fifth when Parry bashed a home run but the Thunder took the lead back in the sixth. Freshman Emmri Chuchran doubled, went to third on a Vikings error and scored on a ground out for a 2-1 lead, setting up the crucial seventh inning for PG.
“I think it was the third or fourth time through the lineup,” Young said. “You can fool someone so many times, and then pretty soon they’re going to learn. So I think it’s just that many times through the order and just learning. It definitely took them longer to learn than I hoped. But it was a gutsy win when we needed it.”
Pleasant Grove (14-4, 3-0), fourth in Class 6A RPI coming into the week, hosts Herriman on Wednesday and goes to American Fork in Region 3 play on Thursday.
“I like everything about this team,” Young said. “We have very versatile girls. We’ve been messing around with how the field chemistry works. We’ve always had one of the best offenses in the state and we’ve got our confidence going right now.”
Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

Pleasant Grove first baseman Mailey Gillen (left) tags out Westlake’s Brilynn Attebery in a Region 3 softball game on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
Larsen added, “I feel like everyone is connected on my team. We’re all very close and we really pull through for each other. That’s what happened at the end and why we had those runs because once you start going, you can string them all together.”
Westlake, third in RPI, hosts Lehi on Thursday and plays in a tournament in northern Utah on Saturday.
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