Sweet Home 16, Sisters 0
The Huskies shut out the Sisters Outlaws 16-0 under the 10-run rule in the fifth inning Friday on the road.
The Huskies opened the game up with four runs and scored another three in the third and nine in the fourth to get the win on 10 hits.
“We got right to scoring runs,” said Coach Shane Cochran. “Their pitcher was decent. They struggled with throwing.”
That was the biggest source of the Outlaws nine errors.
“Granted, they’re a weak team, but we ran the bases really well,” Cochran said. The Huskies have been working on their base running, and it showed in this game.
Sarita Zanona pitched the game. She gave up two hits and a walk while striking out four batters.
“They hit the ball too at times,” Cochran said. “We just happened to make the plays.”
The Huskies have been focused on improving their pitching and hitting this season.
With young pitchers who had not expected to pitch, the Huskies must score a lot of runs to get wins, Cochran said. “I think our pitching is coming around.”
Both of the pitchers, Zanona and Ally Tow, are starting to throw enough strikes, Cochran said. They’re walking one or two a game instead of five or six.
Hitting and scoring is a must, and the Huskies still have some work to do, Cochran said. The Huskies need seven to eight runs every game. That means they need 15 to 16 hits per game. Right now, they’re hitting 10 to 12 times per game.
“We’re doing it most of the game,” Cochran said, but a couple of innings, they’ll go flat and let the opponent back into the game.
He’s confident with the strides his team has been making, and even after losing last week to Elmira, he’s confident the Huskies can still beat Elmira, the league leader.
The Huskies are 2-1 in league and tied with Cottage Grove for second behind Elmira, with a 3-0 record.
Sweet Home 403 90 – 16 10 1
Sisters 000 00 – 0 2 9
Elmira 9, Sweet Home 6
The Huskies held a 5-3 lead going into the seventh inning on April 8 at home against Elmira, but then Elmira went on a seventh-inning tear at the plate, scoring six runs to win the game 9-6.
The Huskies scored a run to open the game. Elmira scored two in the second, but the Huskies had a big third inning, scoring four runs to build a 5-2 lead. Elmira scored another run in the fourth inning, while the Huskies scored their last in the bottom of seven.
“We played solid, and we had the game,” Cochran said, when Elmira began hitting. All six of their runs were earned.
Zanona started the game. Tow subbed in during the second inning.
“In that seventh inning, they just hit the ball,” Cochran said. “Tow was throwing strikes like she was supposed to.
“We couldn’t answer it back. There wasn’t anything we could’ve done differently. They played solid. They came out strong and finished the whole game strong.”
Pitching, Zanona and Tow have “stepped in and done a really good job when they weren’t expecting to be the pitcher,” Cochran said. “I think we’ll be sitting pretty good the rest of the season with those two.”
Sierra Thayer led at the plate with three hits and an RBI. Zanona hit a triple, batting in three runners for a total of four RBIs on the game. Caytlin Gillespie hit the ball twice. Collecting a single hit were Natalie Thorpe, Tow, Makenna Melbye and McKenzie Cochran.
“Thayer has been hitting really well, hitting the ball hard just about every time,” Cochran said.
Catcher McKenzie Cochran has thrown out a few runners this year, Coach Cochran said. Last year, she threw out 13 of 14 runners, so the other coaches have not been risking steals when she’s behind the plate.
Elmira 020 100 6 – 9 10 3
Sweet Home 104 000 1 – 6 12 3