The Huskies beat Junction City 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader at home Monday but lost the second game 8-5.
“We split,” said Coach John Best. “We won the first game and gave them the second one. We had six errors. That’s never good.”
April 4, the Huskies beat Sutherlin 11-1 under the 10-run rule in five innings at home to open league play.
“I think we have a great team,” Best said. “I’m really excited about the team, and the way we’ve been handling the bat.”
The team needs to stay focused and avoid letting errors compound, he said, but it’s a tight group that has a drive to win.
“We’re in a good spot,” Best said. “As long as we can learn from our mistakes, I think we’ll be just fine.”
The Huskies are 2-1 in league and 7-2 overall.
They were scheduled to host Cottage Grove Tuesday and will travel to Elmira Friday.
Sweet Home 6, Junction City 2
“It was a pretty close game,” Best said. “We felt in control and worked as a team.”
Junction City took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, while the Huskies remained scoreless until turning in three runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.
Devin Stafford did a really good job on the mound, Best said, and Keegan Holly and Austin James had solid at bats, going 3-3.
Stafford threw 6 1/3 innings, giving up one earned run, five hits and one walk. He struck out six batters.
Holly closed out the game, giving up a walk then ended the game turning a double play on a ground out.
At bat, Holly had a double, and James hit two doubles. Colton Smith and Jon Elder each had two hits and a double. Nate Virtue and Nick Marler each had a single.
Kobe Olson did not play because was at a wrestling tournament.
Trent Keeler pitched for Junction City, with catcher Blake Hayes. Kennan Larson pitched in relief. Keeler had two hits with a double to lead Junction City.
Junction City 002 000 0 – 2 7 1
Sweet Home 000 330 x – 6 12 2
Junction City 8,
Sweet Home 5
Sweet Home committed errors in the beginning and the end of the game, which made the difference.
“Those errors, they killed us,” Best said. “We gave them some free bases, and they took advantage.”
Junction City scored three runs out of the gate, and Sweet Home responded in kind, tying the game 3-3 after one inning.
The Huskies scored a run in the second to take a 4-3 lead, Junction City tied it up in the third inning and went ahead on a run in the fourth and extended its lead to 7-4 in the fifth. In the bottom of the fifth, Sweet Home scored one more time to get with in two runs. Junction City scored its final run in the top of the seventh.
Daniel Virtue threw 3 1/3 innings and collected the loss. He gave up three earned runs, five hits and two walks and struck out three. Fisher Anderson relieved him, giving up one hit, one earned run and one walk.
At bat, James had two hits, with one double. Holly, Danie Virtue and Smith each had two singles. Keanu Aiona hit one single.
Junction City 301 120 1 – 8 6 1
Sweet Home 310 010 0 – 5 9 6
Sweet Home 11, Sutherlin 1
“Sutherlin,” Best said. “We just played. We played really well. I thought were just super aggressive at the plate and played good defensively.”
Everyone in the lineup scored a run, he said.
Sutherlin scored a single run in the first inning. The Huskies responded with four runs of their own, with Stafford hitting a double to score the go-ahead run, and then seven more in the third inning.
Aiona, Stafford and Marler each had two hits. Olson, Daniel Virtue, James and Nate Virtue each had one hit.
Smith threw four innings, giving up two hits and two walks and striking out four. Holly pitched the fifth inning three up, three down to end the game.
Sutherlin 100 00 – 1 2 3
Sweet Home 407 0x – 11 10 0