There are two ways to tell how well Sandra Day O’Connor’s softball team is performing, coach Melissa Hobson said.

If it is having fun, or if it is annoying the personable Hobson, the coach joked. On Wednesday, SDO and Hobson were all smiles after a pivotal non-region regular season game against Perry.

SDO and Perry are trying to keep pace with preseason 6A Conference favorites Hamilton and Pinnacle. But after a 6-1 home win, it appears that SDO jumped ahead of Perry. 

“I am super proud of them (SDO),” Hobson said.

Pitcher Saige Stutz spearheaded Perry’s strong regular season start (14-4 record), but SDO’s 12 hits tied a season high Stutz has allowed in a game this season.

The No. 8 and 9 hitters, Rian Dirmeyer and Nicole Shano, sparked SDO's hit attack, beginning in the third inning with back-to-back singles. SDO scored three runs in that inning, with the first two scoring after Grace Lyon’s two RBI single with the bases full.

Dirmeyer went 3 for 3, and teammate Lela Allen went 3 for 4.

(Rian Dirmeyer)

“We are just super close,” said Dirmeyer about her team.

The other star of the game for SDO was pitcher Danielle Wilson, who induced 13 ground outs, struck out five and scattered five hits in her complete game outing.

“We didn’t make at bat corrections,” Perry coach Rob Hehe said.

Perry was trailing 3-1 after a solo shot by Piper Lujan to right-center field in the sixth inning, but SDO responded with three runs in the bottom of that frame. 

SDO dedicated its Wednesday baseball and softball home games to cancer awareness and survivors.

SDO’s opponents, Perry and Desert Vista baseball, joined SDO’s players around the infield before the start of the softball game.

Wilson’s mom, Kelley, a cancer survivor, threw out the first pitch.