Losing its first two games, 8-2 to Elmira and then 3-1 to Sisters, Sweet Home’s baseball team had a rough opening to its league schedule; but bounced back and topped Sutherlin 5-4.
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“Both Elmira and Sisters are awfully good,” said Coach Dan Tow, adding that they aren’t insurmountable obstacles. “We feel like we’re able to compete with anybody in our league.”
A perennial powerhouse, Sisters lost two its opening games too, 6-2 to Cottage Grove and 3-2 to Elmira, while Elmira made a clean sweep on the week, defeating Sweet Home, Junction City and Sisters. Cottage Grove beat Sisters, Sutherlin and Junction City.
The week leaves Sweet Home tied with Sisters and Junction City with a 1-2 league record; Elmira and Cottage Grove undefeated; and Sutherlin winless.
The Huskies’ overall record went to 7-4.
Iin the league opener, the Falcons collected 12 hits, while the Huskies had just four, Tow said. Sisters is always tough, and although it was a low-scoring game where the Outlaws were held to just three runs, the Huskies only scored once.
“We lost to two pretty good teams,” Tow said. “It was a tough week. We didn’t get the job done.”
The Huskies were scheduled to host Cottage Grove Monday.
“That’ll be a big one,” Tow said. “They were solid last year. They’ve got quite a few guys back.”
The Huskies host Junction City on Wednesday.
Junction City is struggling a bit, but the Tigers aren’t bad either, Tow said.
The Huskies will visit Elmira on Friday.
“It makes it tough, but it’s fun,” Tow said. “It makes it competitive.”
Elmira 8, Sweet Home 2
Elmira defeated the Huskes 8-2 in Sweet Home on April 5.
Neither team could get anyone across the plate for three innings, but Elmira scored a run in the top of the fourth inning and then three more in the fifth. The Huskies put their first run on the board in the bottom of five.
Elmira added another four runs in the final inning. The Huskies were able to add just one more.
Brandon Keenon led the Huskies at bat, going 2-4 with an RBI. Danny Virtue and Justin Tow each had a hit. Virtue scored both runs. Keanu Aiona had an RBI.
Mason Walker led Elmira at bat, going 4-4 with a run and four RBIs.
Pitching, Danny Virtue gave up six runs, five of them unearned, four walks and 10 hits. He struck out six batters in six innings. Pitching two outs, Brandon Keenon gave up a walk. Pitching one out, Devin Stafford gave up a hit, a walk and two runs, one unearned.
For Elmira, Levi Wahl threw six innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs. He gave up no walks and struck out two Huskies. Richard Estrella pitched one inning, giving up a hit and striking out one.
Elmira000 130 4 – 8 11 0
Sweet Home 000 010 1 – 2 4 4
Sisters 3, Sweet Home 1
The Huskies lost 3-1 at Sisters on Wednesday.
Sisters took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and added two more runs in the second inning. Nick Marler scored in the third inning.
The Outlaws had five hits on the game. The Huskies had two, both from Desmond Ely. Jake Long, Marler and Virtue reached base on walks.
On the mound, Stafford pitched six innings, giving up five hits, two walks and three runs, two earned. He struck out six batters.
Sweet Home 001 000 0 – 1 2 2
Sisters120 000 0 – 3 5 2
Sweet Home 5, Sutherlin 4
The Huskies beat Sutherlin 5-4 on the road on Friday.
The Huskies scored first in the third inning to lead 1-0. Sutherlin brought three runners home in the bottom of the inning to lead 3-1. The Huskies added two more runs in the top of four and then a run each in the fifth and sixth to build a 5-3 lead. Sutherlin scored one more time in the final inning.
The Huskies collected five hits, two each from Aiona and Virtue, each with a double, and one from Kobe Olson. Scoring runs were Aiona, Olson, Stafford, Tow and Keenon. Recording RBIs were Ely, Aiona an Virtue, with two.
Keenon threw six innings for the Huskies, giving up five hits, five walks and four runs, two earned. He struck out seven batters.
Virtue pitched an inning in relief, giving up one hit and striking out two.
Sweet Home001 211 0 – 5 5 2
Sutherlin003 000 1 – 4 6 0