Molalla 3
Sweet Home 2
The Husky softball team came up just one out shy of making the state playoffs Saturday when Molalla defeated them 3-2 at Molalla.
The score was 0-0 after five innings. The Huskies scored a run in the sixth and again in the seventh to take a 2-0 lead.
“(Molalla) put four straight singles together after one out (in the bottom of the seventh),” Coach Rob Younger said. Molalla finished the inning scoring three runs and moving on to the first round of state playoffs this week.
The Huskies had finished league play with an 8-0 loss to Central and in fifth place. They defeated Cascade 6-2 to advance to Molalla in league playoffs.
Against Molalla, Kaci Trask went 2-4 with two doubles. Jessica Brocard went 2-3 adding a triple. Nicole Starha, Ashley Severns, Tiffany Martinez and Teresa Lewis each singled.
“We played extremely well,” Coach Younger said. “The first play of the game (Cascade) we had an error, then we went 14 innings without an error.”
Heather Wall pitched “extremely well,” Coach Younger said. She was backed up by great catching by Amanda Burcham and solid defense.
Against Cascade at Molalla on Saturday, Wall struck out nine batters and walked only two.
At bats, Martinez went 2-3 with two doubles with three RBIs. Crystal Fowler went 2-3. Burcham, Trask and Severns all singled.
“I think what pleased me most is we played our best games,” Coach Younger said. The team peaked at exactly the right time.
“I was very pleased with how they handled adversity” throughout a tough season, Coach Younger said. The girls showed how well they handled it in league playoffs when “they came one out from state playoffs. (They) finished the season on a really high note.”
Earlier in the week, the Huskies lost their final league game 8-0 to Central at home. Teresa Lewis had the only hit for the Huskies.
Sweet Home 0000 011 2 9 0
Molalla 0000 003 3 7 0
Cascade 0500 010 6 7 1
Sweet Home 2000 000 2 5 3
Central 0401 111 8 13 0
Sweet Home 0000 000 0 1 3