Facing a tough schedule, the Huskies opened baseball season with one win and two losses last week.
They defeated Central 5-3 at home on Saturday. They lost 6-2 at Philomath on Thursday and opened a 12-5 loss at Newport on March 14.
“We played really quality teams,” said Coach Matt Matuszak. “Our goal was to go in and beat these teams.”
Philomath and Newport were semifinalist teams last season, and they’ve returned quite a few players.
“We went into these games hoping to get some experience,” Matuszak said. He isn’t happy about the result, but the Huskies were competitive even while not playing well on offense, defense and the mound.
Gavin Kauffman and David Deggelman hit well, while overall the team didn’t, he said. “The pitchers haven’t thrown that great. We haven’t played very good defense.”
“We’re young, we have a lot of work to do, and I’m looking forward to it,” Matuszak said. The team hasn’t had much time practicing on the field. That means the Huskies are inside for practice, and they can’t get much practice on ground balls and longer throws.
The players are talented, Matuszak said. Some quality time on the fields will help bring that out.
“I’m not discouraged at all,” he said. “We’re going to be a very good baseball team really soon.”
At the same time, the week had bright spots, especially against Central when the Huskies had double steals from first and third three times in a single game, Matuszak said. That usually happens once or twice a season.
“We’ve been pretty patient at the plate,” Matuszak said, maybe even too patient.
Sweet Home 5, Central 3
The Huskies defeated Central 5-3 at home on Saturday.
“Early errors by Sweet Home put Central up,” Matuszak said. “But Colton Holly along with Justin Rice and Kauffman shut the door on Central from there on out.”
Sweet Home scored a run in the first inning, but Central led 3-1 at the bottom of the first. The Huskies scored three more in the third and one in the sixth.
Deggleman had 2 hits and Colton Holly stole 4 bases including home as Sweet Home got their first win of the season. Kauffman went 1-2 with a stolen base and a run. Rice also stole two bases.
On the mound, Holly struck out three batters, walked to and gave up three hits in five innings on his way to the win. Kauffman struck out four batters and walked one, and Rice struck out one and walked one.
Central 300 000 0 – 3 3 2
Sweet Home 103 001 x – 5 3 4
Philomath 6, Sweet Home 2
The Huskies lost 6-2 at Philomath on Thursday.
Philomath scored one in the first and third and two each in the second and fourth innings. The Huskies scored two runs in the seventh.
Deggelman led Husky hitting, going 2-2. Holly and Kauffman each went 1-3. Kauffman hit a double.
Kyle Winslow and Bryce Seiber each had an RBI, and Isaiah Blake had a steal.
Sweet Home 000 000 2 – 2 4 5
Philomath 121 200 x – 6 6 1
Nweport 12, Sweet Home 5
Newport defeated the Huskies 12-6 in the season opener on March 14 at Newport.
The game ended after six innings because of darkness.
The Huskies scored a run in the first inning, but Newport answered when Cameron Holliday hit a go-ahead grand slam in the second inning. At the end of the inning, Newport was ahead 5-1.
The Huskies scored three more runs in the fourth and fifth to get close, but Newport brought in seven more runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Huskies scored one more run in the sixth.
Kauffman went 1-2 to get the Huskies only hit. Hunter Bidwell, Rice and Holley each had an RBI.
Logan Goins gets the win on the mound for Newport.
Holly received the loss, giving up three hits and eight walks while striking out three. Drayson Scott walked six, gave up one hit and struck out two batters. Jeremy White walked one batter, and Cory Hanks walked four.
Sweet Home 100 211 – 5 1 3
Newport 050 070 – 12 4 1