Sweet Home won a tight game, 12-11, in the league opener against Junction City Monday evening.
The Huskies built a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but the Tigers brought in three runs of their own to tie the game in the top of the second. The Huskies set up a batting mill in the bottom of two to bring in six more runs, gaining a 9-3 lead.
Junction City scored four more runs in the top of the third and two more in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game 9-9. The Huskies took their last lead on a run in the bottom of four and expanded it by two in the sixth, while Junction City could only scrape together two more runs in the final inning.
Sierra Thayer, Madi Barringer, Ally Tow and Makenna Melbye each had two hits, Thayer and Tow with doubles. Caytlin Gillespie, Sarita Zanona, McKenzie Cochran and Britney Zook each recorded a hit.
Tow batted in three runners, while Thayer, Gillespie, Zanona and Melbye each had an RBI.
Pitching, Zanona started and went 1½ innings, giving up four hits, three runs and three walks. Tow finished the game and earned the win, giving up 10 hits, eight runs and four walks, with four strikeouts.
“The key was scoring early and keep scoring our base runners,” said Coach Shane Cochran. “I felt pretty good about it. We still have things to work on. Definitely have to get our pitchers pitching better, throwing more strikes.”
He also wants key parts of the batting lineup hitting better, he said. If the Huskies can make those improvements, they’ll be tough to beat in league.
The Huskies defeated 18-10 Stayton on the road on Thursday.
“We came out and hit the ball real well against Stayton,” Cochran said.
The Huskies will host Elmira on Wednesday and travel to Sisters on Friday.
Junction City 034 200 2 – 11 14 4
Sweet Home 360 102 x – 12 12 1