Sean C. Morgan
The Huskies have softball experience in spades this year, and they’re bringing unprecedented speed to the field.
Even their freshman addition, Katie Virtue, has nearly 200 games behind her. The team returns eight starters.
Returning players include seniors Ashley Cochran, Bayli Riggs, Shelbey Gillespie and Tasha Saunders.
Juniors include Emili Riggs, Megan Rubidoux and Sarah Wyatt. Megan Graville and Hailey Hummer are returning sophomores.
Joining them are Virtue, the freshman, and three other juniors, Kendra Whaley, Hailey Rice and Jasmin Yoder.
The team lost one senior, Katie Nicholson.
Last year, the Huskies finished third in league behind Central and Newport and lost in the second round of state.
“We were a little disappointed,” said Coach Steve Hummer, but with most of the roster back and their experience growing, he’s hoping for big things this year.
“I have very high expectations,” Hummer said. “This group of seniors has come a long way as people and players. We’ve set a goal to be league champions. We believe we’re one of the better teams in the state of Oregon, and we want to go out and prove it.”
The team starts with a tough non-league schedule, Hummer said. “We want to beat the toughest teams.”
The Huskies open with the defending state champions, the Cascade Cougars, followed by 3A semi-finalist Regis.
Both have most of their players back, he said. Sweet Home will then play in a tournament at Harrisburg and then host Central.
Hummer has positions selected, but everything is up for grabs.
Emili Riggs, a first-team all-league and second-team all-state selection last year, is moving from shortstop to first base, Hummer said. She had surgery on her shoulder over the break, and this will give her a chance to redevelop her arm strength.
Saunders will move from first base, where she has been for three years, to leftfield. She was a second-team all-league selection last year.
She’s doing it for the team, showing mature senior leadership even though it’s not where she prefers, Hummer said.
“Paige Niemi did that a couple of years ago,” Hummer said, and that’s a great person to be compared to.
Cochran continues at second, where she was first-team all-league last year. At the plate she slaps from the left and had more than 20 stolen bases last year.
Rubidoux, an honorable mention recipient, moves from third to shortstop.
Graville is starting in the circle, with Bayli Riggs backing her up, Hummer said. “We have two very good pitchers. Right now, Megan has the upper hand.”
He also expects a lot from Riggs, a three-time first-team all-league winner, he said.
Gillespie continues at catcher. She is a two-time all-league winner and earned honorable mention all-state last year, Hummer said. She brings a strong bat and good defense.
Wyatt moves to third from the outfield. She was first-team all-league and honorable mention all-state.
She brings a bunch of speed, and she brought a bunch of stolen bases, Hummer said.
Virtue is starting at center field, he said.
“She beat Sarah Wyatt in a foot race the other day,” he said. She hits from the left, and she’s fast.
Hailey Hummer will probably start at right field, Steve Hummer said. She beat Cochran in a foot race.
“There’s a lot of speed,” Hummer said of Cochran, Wyatt, Hailey Hummer and Virtue. “You get those four girls on base, it can be a real headache for the other team.”
Coming up from the JV, Yoder brings similar speed, he said. She is a varsity soccer player, and she is athletic. He expects her to do “a great job.”
Rice and Whaley are both good players who will round out the bench, Hummer said. He expects them to grow a lot and fill specific roles as needed.
In the batter’s box, “Sarah and Ashley bring a tremendous amount of speed and stolen bases,” Hummer said. Virtue brings a left slap and drop while Hailey Hummer has spent two days a week in the cage for five months and is “much improved.”
Gillespie, Bayli Riggs and Emili Riggs will bring a lot of pop to the lineup, Hummer said. Emili Riggs is already the all-time home run leader in Sweet Home softball history.
Graville has really developed as a hitter, and he expects key hits here and there, Hummer said. “I think there are a lot of possibilities for us. We can hit the ball deep or small ball you.
“It should be a really fun, exciting year – just the depth,” Hummer said.
In the new league, the Huskies have played Elmira and Junction City frequently.
Hummer would pick Elmira as the Huskies’ biggest challenge for the league title, he said. The team has strong pitching and is well-coached.
Junction City is young but well-coached, and the team has played a lot of summer ball, Hummer said.
“La Pine is going to be scrappy,” he said. “They’re going to find a way to stay in games.”
He doesn’t know much about Cottage Grove, he said, but it’s a great sports town.
He also doesn’t know what to expect out of Sisters, which graduated four or five last year, he said. The team also has a new coach. Last year, Sisters finished in the top eight in state playoffs.
He said his junior varsity squad is “the most athletic” he’s had. “I bet it’s the best JV team we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
The JV team shows the depth of the softball program, he said. It includes Emily Marchbanks, sister of four-year varsity pitcher Mackenzie Marchbanks, now at Corban University.
The team returns Chris Hiaasen as varsity assistant coach and Melissa Klumph, JV coach. Klumph is assisted by Maggie Lindley, who is a first-year English and social studies teacher at the high school. Lindley was on a Baker team that came over and beat the Huskies in playoffs.
The JV team includes Kalyn Hagle, Kacie Mauch, Carissa Sipe, Amanda Hubbard, Shantel Pitts, Marchbanks, Harlee Brendle, Nicole Bell, Haley Kent, Auna Davis, Kelli Fanning and Kaitlyn Lucero.