By Keeghan Gittins
For The New Era
Sweet Home got off to a strong start, at least defensively, in its first-round state playoff game at Pendleton Tuesday, May 26, but the Huskies couldn’t hold on in the final two innings and ended their season with a 10-0 mercy rule loss at the end of the sixth.
Errors and lack of offensive production were the story for Sweet Home.
For two-thirds of their first-round game, the Huskies and Pendleton appeared locked in a
low-scoring defensive struggle.
But then things broke open, and not to the Huskies’ advantage, as the host Buckaroos collected three singles and a home run in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead.
Katriona “Peanut” Harris had pitched the first four innings, giving up only three base hits and Harris delivering three of her four strikeouts.
But three singles and an error in the fifth gave Pendleton a 3-0 lead before Kendall Murphy hit a home run to push the hosts ahead by 5.
Harris pitched five total innings, throwing 55 pitches and 39 strikes.
Jocelynn Fairchild came in in relief halfway through the bottom of the fifth for the final eight batters.
But in the bottom of the sixth the Huskies committed three errors resulting in more runs and the game ended with Sweet Home down 10.
The Huskies couldn’t find their rhythm offensively, a dominant performance by Pendleton’s pitcher. She was in complete control, tallying 14 strikeouts as Sweet Home failed to generate momentum throughout the game. The Huskies were able to prevent the no hitter by getting on base with the two Pendleton errors.
Pendleton went on to beat No. 13 Marist, who upset No 4 Cascade. Coming into this week, Buckaroos were still alive in the playoff run and play the No. 1 team in 4A, St. Helens. Pendleton beat the Lions, 5-3 earlier in the year. They will play June 3.
As for the Huskies they finish the year as the No. 12- ranked team in 4A, with a 18-9 record and a 9-6 league record. For the third year in a row Sweet Home has made the playoffs, and as a young team only losing two seniors, Kennadie King, and Jocelyn Fairchild, the Huskies have a bright future ahead.