Philomath’s Hannah Williams hit a home run in the bottom of the seventh to snatch victory away from the visiting Huskies Friday, April 12, in high school softball.
Sweet Home beat Woodburn 11-1 under the 10-run rule in the fifth inning at home April 10. They overcame a late-game tie to snag a decisive 12-5 win over Newport April 9 on the road.
The Huskies established an early 7-0 lead over Philomath, scoring their first run in the first inning on an error, a fielder’s choice, a hit by pitch and another error, scoring Graci Zanona.
Samantha Virtue singled to score Marissa Kurtz and Ashtyn Walker, giving the Huskies a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
They scored four more times in the next inning on singles by Zanona, Walker, Kurtrz and Bailee Hartsook and a double by Virtue to get ahead 7-0. By the bottom of the fifth, Sweet Home led the Warriors 9-0.
Philomath scored a pair of runs in the bottom of five on a pair of errors and a double by Amie Russell. The Warriors scored four more runs on a series of four singles and an error in the bottom of the sixth to get within striking distance of the Willliams grand slam in the bottom of the seventh.
Philomath loaded bases in the seventh inning on a pair of singles and a walk.
Sweet Home hit 11 times on the game, led by Sunhee Bitter, Hartsook and Virtue, each going 2-4. Virtue had three RBIs, with a double. Bitter had two, and Hartsook had an RBI and a run.
Also hitting were Zanona, Walker, Kurtz and Brown.
Williams went 1-4 with a home run, five RBIs and a run to lead the Warriors offense. Russel went 2-4 with three RBIs.
In the circle, Savannah Hutchins gave up 11 hits, three walks and five earned runs while striking out 10 Philomath batters.
For Philomath, Kamden Combs gave up 10 hits, one walk and six earned runs, striking out six.
The Huskies were scheduled to travel to Stayton Monday, April 15. They will host Elmira at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 and travel to Cascade Thursday, April 18. They will host Sisters at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 22.
Sweet Home 340 020 0 – 9 10 5
Philomath 000 024 4 – 10 11 2
Sweet Home scored three in the first inning and another eight in the second to take an 11-0 lead over Woodburn and winning under the 10-run rule in the fifth inning.
Bitter scored on two walks and singles by Bitter and Kurtz to get things going for Sweet Home.
Woodburn sneaked in a run in the top of the fourth on a dropped third strike, an error and a single by Zoey Benavidez to score Alexis Jacobucci.
Bitter led at bat for Sweet Home, going 3-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Kurtz went 2-2, with two RBIs and two runs. Virtue and Miner each had hits, and Virtue and Bitter each had doubles.
In the circle, Walker gave up one hit and one walk with nine strikeouts.
Marina Salazar gave up seven hits and five walks.
Woodburn 000 10x x – 1 1 Sweet Home 380 0xx x – 11 7 1
Sweet Home took an early lead against Newport but watched it evaporate in the fifth inning as Newport tied the game 5-5.
The Huskies came back with big sixth and seventh innings to get the win.
Tied at 1-1 headed into the second inning, Brown reached and scored on a pair of errors to take a 2-1 lead.
Sweet Home scored again in the fourth, leading 4-1 and then in the top of the fifth to lead 5-1.
Newport scored two on a walk and a home run by Kalea Blodgett and then tied the game on a single by Stevie Singler and a home run from Hattie Imbler-Bremner.
Hutchins struck out the next batter followed by a ground out to second base to get the Huskies out of the inning.
In the top of the sixth, on two outs, Hartsook homered on a pop fly center field.
Virtue doubled and scored on an Allison Miner double. Miner scored on an error to give the Huskies an 8-5 edge. Sweet Home scored four more times in the final inning.
Bitter led at bat going 3-5 with an RBI, a run and a double.
Walker and Virtue each had two hits, two RBIs and a run. Kurtz had two hits, with an RBI and a run.
Hutchins, Hartsook, Miner and Brown each had one hit.
Collecting doubles were Miner, Bitter, Brown, Kurtz and Virtue with two.
Blodget led batting for Newport, going 2-4 with two RBIs and two runs.
In the circle, Walker went 4 1/3 innings, giving up three hits, three walks and three earned runs with eight strikeouts. Hutchins threw the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up two hits, two walks and one earned run with three strikeouts.
For Newport, Imbler-Bremner gave up 13 hits, six walks and seven earned runs, striking out seven.
Sweet Home 110 213 4 – 12 13 2
Newport 100 040 0 – 5 5 5