The Huskies lost 7-5 at Elmira, which stands atop the Sky-Em League softball race, on May 2.
The last time the two teams faced off, in a doubleheader, the Huskies lost 10-2 and 15-3, so this time around was an improvement.
“I felt good about how they overcame that internal struggled they’ve had with Junction City and Elmira,” said Coach Karyn Hartsook. “Huge improvement by the girls. They came in to compete, and they did.
“I felt like they competed the whole game. They gave everything they had skill-wise, intensity-wise the whole game. They just came to play. Their hitting was much better.”
Ally Tow and Makenna Melbye each hit key home runs to keep their team in the game, she said.
The Huskies went three up, three down in the first inning. In the bottom of the inning, Elmira advanced a runner to third base on an error. She scored when the next batter grounded out to the shortstop.
Next inning, Sydney Mauer reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on an error. Melbye smacked a home run into left field to give the Huskies a 2-1 lead.
An Elmira runner tagged up and scored on a fly out in the third inning to tie the game 2-2 and then scored two runs on a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
Elmira scored again in the fifth inning and twice more in the sixth. Sweet Home scored a run in the sixth, and then Tow hit a homer in the seventh to score Sunhee Bitter, but the next two batters grounded out, ending the game.
The Huskies collected six hits, two each from Melbye and Tow. They each scored a run and two RBIs.
Bitter and Mauer each hit singles. Allison Miner scored a run.
Sarita Zanona pitched five innings, giving up nine hits, two walks and five runs, three earned. Ashtyn Walker pitched one inning, giving up one hit, two earned runs and a walk.
Anderson led Elmira hitting with a home run and five RBIs. Bradley and Stout each had two hits.
For Elmira, Jensen pitched a complete game, giving up six hits, three walks and five runs, three earned. She struck out four Huskies.
Sweet Home was scheduled to host Sisters Tuesday, will travel to Yamhill-Carlton Thursday, will host Cottage Grove in a doubleheader at 3 p.m. Friday and host Blanchet Catholic Monday at 4:30 p.m.
The Huskies are in third place in the Sky-Em with a 6-6 record in league and 10-10 overall. Junction City, 10-1, is in second place, while Elmira, 11-1, is in first place. Trailing Sweet Home, Sisters, 4-7, is in fourth; Sutherlin, 4-8, fifth; and Cottage Grove, 0-12, sixth.
Sweet Home 020 001 2 – 5 6 3
Elmira 101 032 x – 7 10 4