The Huskies opened their baseball season with three wins and two losses with a 13-1 win at Elmira on March 16 and a third-place finish at a tournament in Yreka, Calif., from March 18-20.
Sweet Home 13, Elmira 1
The Huskies dominated Elmira in their opening game of the season, winning 13-1 on the road on March 16.
The Huskies amassed a four-run lead in the second inning, followed by another run in the third. They broke loose scoring five in the fifth inning and three more runs in the sixth.
Elmira scored a run in the fourth.
“It was our first game, and we played well,” said Coach Matt Matuszak. “T.J Sipe threw a great game for us.”
Sipe got the win on the mound, throwing five innings, giving up no earned runs and allowing just two hits. He struck out three batters. Zach Miller relieved him in the sixth.
Tyler Holly led the team at bat with three hits. David Deggelman and Jaimie Steinbacher each provided three RBI.
Steinbacher, Gavin Kauffman, Brock Cota and Deggelman each had a double.
Sweet Home 041 053 €“ 13 10 2
Elmira 000 100 €“ 1 2 3
Sweet Home 4, Yreka 0
Opening the tournament at Yreka on March 18, the Huskies defeated Yreka 4-0.
Yreka provided tough competition, Matuszak said. Many of the teams there had already played 12 or 13 games worth of experience with an earlier start to the California season.
“We went down there a little fresh, a little green still,” Matuszak said. “We didn’t play our best ball, but we started to improve.”
Even still, the Huskies played Klamath Falls tough and just missed holding off a California sectional champion before rallying from a 5-0 deficit to defeat another California team, Matuszak said. By the end of the tournament, the Huskies had given up only four earned runs in five games thanks to a phenomenal pitching staff.
“We learned a lot of lessons in this tournament,” Matuszak said. Those are lessons best learned early rather than when league starts, and the Huskies were forced to play outside their comfort zone.
Freshman Colton Holly threw his first career high school game, Matuszak said. He threw a complete game shutout, giving up two hits and striking out nine batters for the win. Levi Marchbanks threw out two would-be stealers.
“Sweet Home pitchers have now thrown 13 innings without giving an earned run,” Matuszak said. “Sweet Home struggled a little at the plate but was able to take advantage of some small ball opportunities to score their runs.”
At bat, Steinbacher, Miller, Cota, Deggelman and Kauffman each collected a single, Miller, Cota and Tyler Holly each batting in a run.
Sweet Home 001 021 0 €“ 4 5 2
Yreka 000 000 0 €“ 0 2 3
Klamath Falls 6, Sweet Home 3
Klamath Falls took advantage of errors and missed opportunities, winning 6-3 on March 19 at Yreka, Matuszak said.
Klamath Falls scored the first run in the fourth inning and added another four in the fifth and one in the sixth.
“The Huskies were able to get a rally going in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out,” Matuszak said.
“However, a line drive double play back to the pitcher really hurt the momentum that was built.”
Miller pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs, Matuszak said.
“Kauffman shined at the plate, going 2-2 with a double and a walk,” Matuszak said.
Sweet Home 000 003 0 €“ 3 5 4
Klamath Falls 000 141 x €“ 6 4 0
Central Valley, 6, Sweet Home 4
Central Valley of Shasta Lake, Calif., defeated the Huskies 6-4 on March 19 at Yreka.
Central Valley won its sectional championship, like a state championship, last year.
Central Valley scored its first run in the second inning and added three more in the fifth.
The Huskies rallied to a tie in the last inning, Matuszak said, but a walk-off single gave Central Vsalley the win in a time-shortened six-inning game.
Corey Hanks started on the mound, pitching two innings, giving up no earned runs and striking out three batters. Levi Marchbanks pitched the last three innings.
T.J. Sipe led at bat with two hits.
Sweet Home 000 004 €“ 4 6 4
Central Valley 010 031 €“ 6 7 4
Sweet Home 6, Del Norte 6
The Huskies defeated Del Norte of Crescent City, Calif., 7-6 on March 20 to finish third in the Yreka tournament.
Del Norte jumped out to a 5-0 lead by the top of the second inning, but the Huskies came back with a run in the second, two in the third and four in the fourth to secure the win.
Kauffman pitched the last two innings and earned the save, Matuszak said. Sipe started.
Cota had a couple of big hits with a double and three RBI, Matuszak said. Sipe also had two hits, and T. Holly hit a double.
Del Norte 410 001 0 €“ 6
Sweet Home 012 400 €“ 7 7