By Keeghan Gittins
For The New Era
Sweet Home’s softball team evened its league record at 3-3 last week, beating Stayton and North Marion before losing to Philomath at home.
Sweet Home 10, North Marion 0
At home against North Marion on April 21, the Huskies invoked the mercy rule after a dominating performance.
Sweet Home got two early runs in the first and, after going scoreless in the second, caught fire in the third, scoring five runs.
“We started to adjust to the other team’s pitching well, and put more pressure on their defense,” said Coach Emily Marchbanks.
Jocelynn Fairchild doubled in the third to score two runs. Fairchild ended the game with three RBIs and a run of her own, in her two at-bats.
Eight players in the Huskies’ batting order scored at least once, with Natalie Smith and Anabelle Morris leading the team, each scoring twice.
Sweet Home only allowed two hits and zero runs over the course of the game. Katriona ‘Peanut’ Harris pitched the whole game. Harris faced 21 batters and struck out seven, only giving up four bases the whole game.
Sweet Home 8, Stayton 5
At Stayton on Wednesday, April 23, the Huskies led 4-2 entering the bottom of the third. Stayton then gained the lead, scoring three runs. The Huskies scored once for each of the last four innings.
“I think, in general, we continued to execute when it mattered and continued to ‘chip away’ at the Eagles,” Marchbanks said.
Hannah Sieminski had two hits, three runs, and three RBIs in her three at-bats.
“Specifically, I think our bunt execution made a big impact,” Marchbanks said.
Aubrey Newberry had two of Sweet Home’s four successful bunts. The Huskies had 16 hits as a team, Aaliyah Brown and Newberry leading the way with three each. Katriona “Peanut” Harris pitched all seven innings against Stayton, totaling 127 pitches, 78 of which were strikes. Harris struck out eight of the 31 batters she faced.
Philomath 9, Sweet Home 3
The Warriors continued to appear to have Sweet Home’s number, beating the Huskies on their own diamond, thanks to a multiplicity of errors, on Thursday, April 24
The Huskies got down early, with the Warriors, also 3-3 going into this week’s games, scoring four runs in the top of the second. In the fourth,
Sweet Home scored their first run on a Brown Double. The Warriors then added four more runs to their lead in the top of the sixth.
Sweet Home had the exact same amount of hits as Philomath, with nine, but their multiple errors fielding is what cost them the game.
“Our main issue is the number of errors committed in the field. If we don’t make that many errors, then those hits become less impactful,” Marchbanks said.
The Huskies committed 11 errors throughout the game.
“We also need to string our hits together instead of leaving runners on base in scoring position at the end of innings,” Marchbanks said . Five times Sweet Home got runners in scoring positions but would gain their third out, ending the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Morris tripled, allowing Kaitlyn Kennedy to score, then was brought home by Fairchild with a single.
Fairchild and Harris split time on the mound, Harris having the majority pitching four innings. Seventy-eight percent of Fairchild’s pitches were strikes, however Harris had three more strikeouts with four. Philomath scored one more run in the seventh and ended the game, 9-3.
Going into this week, the Huskies were 11-5 overall and ranked 12th in the 4A and were third in the OWC.
The Huskies will take on No. 3 Cascade, April 28, then host No. 30 Newport, April 30. North Marion then hosts the Sweet Home, May 1. They will host Stayton on Monday, May 5, and will have another shot at Philomath, on the road this time, on May 7.