Third-ranked Banks scored a series of runs late in the game to slip by the Huskies 5-4 Friday evening.
Playing on the road, with one ball and one strike, Nate Virtue tripled on a line drive to center field to things going for 13th-ranked Sweet Home. Zach Luttmer grounded out to shortstop, and Virtue scored the team’s first run. Colton Smith walked then scored on a hard ground ball to right field by Aiden Tyler to go ahead 2-0.
The Huskies led 4-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Banks scored four on two walks, a pair of doubles and a wild pitch to take a 5-4 lead and the game.
The Huskies collected nine hits, led by Treyson Smith with three and Virtue with two. Also hitting were Luttmer, Travis Thorpe, Tyler and Nate Jeppsen.
Luttmer, Zach Zanona, Tyler and Jeppsen each had an RBI.
Blake Gobel led at bat for Banks, with two hits, including a double. Hayden Vandehey had a triple, and Colten Hesselman had a double.
Zanona threw four innings, giving up four hits, four earned runs and five walks and striking out four. Tyler pitched two innings in relief, giving up two hits, an earned run and no walks and striking out one.
Six pitchers combined for Banks to give up nine hits, four earned runs and four walks, while striking out four Huskies.
Sweet Home 202 000 0 – 4 9 0
Banks 000 140 x – 5 6 0
The Huskies lost to North Marion 11-4 March 13 on the road.
Fifth-ranked North Marion scored on an error in the first inning to take the lead. Zanona tied the game 1-1 in the next inning, singling to score Gavin Nichols who reached base on a double.
Sweet Home went ahead in the top of the fourth. Nichols was hit by a pitch, and Zanona popped a sac fly to center field to score him.
North Marion went ahead for good in the fifth on an error, a single and sacrifice bunt. North Marion finished the inning with two more runs to take a 5-3 lead.
Tyler, Nichols and Zanona led at bat for the Huskies with two hits each. Smith and Virtue each added another hit for a team total of eight hits. Nichols scoed two runs, while Tyler and Zanona each had one run. Zanona, Tyler and Nicholes each had an RBI.
Nic Iliyn led the North Marion offense going 2-3 with four runs, three RBIs and a walk. North Marion collected 12 hits.
Virtue got the start for Sweet Home, giving up nine hits, three earned runs and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. Zanona gave up three hits, three earned runs and two walks and struck out two in relief in three innings.
For North Marion, Isaac Hansen got the win, giving up four hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out three. In relief, Hunter Wierstra gave up four hits, one earned run and a walk with one strikeout in three innings.
The Huskies were scheduled to open league Monday night at Woodburn. They will host Woodburn at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and then travel to Woodburn Thursday. They move on to a tournament at Hidden Valley Monday and Tuesday, facing Sutherlin, Hidden Valley and Marshfield.
Sweet Home 010 111 0 – 4 8 6
North Marion 100 523 – 11 12 1
Struggling at the plate, the Huskies lost to fourth-ranked Junction City 11-3 March 11 at home in the season opener.
After Sweet Home turned a double play at third in the top of the first inning, Johnathon Prescott reached base on a fly ball to right field, advancing to second on a line drive single to right field by Hunter Vancurler. Trevor Trout singled to score Prescott and then Vancurler on the throw to give the Tigers a 2-0 edge.
At bat, Virtue was hit by a pitch, and Smith reached base on an error. Tyler doubled on a line drive to right field scoring Virtue and then Smith on the throw.
Junction City went ahead again for good on a double by Tanner Gibson and a single by Gordin.
Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the third, Virtue scored Sweet Home’s final run when Tyler reached on an error at shortstop.
Nichols led the Huskies at bat, going 2-3. Tyler hit a double and collected two RBIs.
Hayes went 3-4 with three runs to lead Junction City.
Smith got the start for the Huskies, going 3 1/3 innings, giving up nine hits, seven earned runs and a walk with four strikeouts. Pitching relief, Tyler gave up two hits and three walks, striking out four in 2 2/3 innings. Jeppsen closed out the game, giving up one hit and striking out one.
Kyle Fuller went six innings for the Tigers, giving up two hits and one earned run while striking out five. Vancurler finished the game, giving up a hit and striking out one.
Junction City 240 410 0 – 11 12 2
Sweet Home 201 000 0 – 3 3 6