Sweet Home split a pair of league softball games last week, losing 6-1 to Central on April 30, but beating Philomath 5-3 on May 2 to solidify the Huskies’ chances to go to the state playoffs.
Sweet Home 5, Philomath 3
Sweet Home took it to the Warriors early as Lacey Mink walked in the first inning, stole second and third and came home on a two-out RBI single by Bayli Riggs. The Laura Gourley scored Riggs with an RBI double and then scored on a passed ball to make it 3-0.
In the second inning, the Huskies scored again as Shelbey Gillespie led off with a single, got to third on a bunt by Tasha Sanders and scored on a sacrifice fly by Lacey Mink to make it 4-0.
Sweet Home scored again in the fourth when Becky Spencer led off with a double, got to third on a fielder’s choice and came home on an RBI single by Sanders.
“It wasn’t spectacular, but it was a pretty solid game,” Coach Steve Hummer said.
Philomath got its scores in the sixth inning after Riggs gave up a walk and the Huskies followed that with a pair of errors.
“If we can just eliminate that one inning we have in the ball game, we can play with just about anybody,” Hummer said.
Riggs got the win, giving up just two hits and two walks en route to six strikeouts.
“That was a big win, because before the game we were tied in league with Philomath,” Hummers said of his team, 9-10 overall and 3-6 in league going into the final week of play.
If the Huskies can beat Taft twice this week and Phlomath loses to Newport or Central, Sweet Home is in the playoffs.
Sweet Home played a doubleheader at Taft Tuesday afternoon, May 6, and will host Pleasant Hill Wednesday, May 7, in a nonleague matchup.
“That win gives us leg up making state playoffs. If we can beat Taft this week, and Philomath loses to Newport and Central, we go.
“As the season has gone on, we’ve gotten better,” he said. “We’re in a spot where we can go to sate playoffs if we win this week.
Philomath 000 003 0 3 2 1
Sweet Home 310 100 x 5 5 2
Central 6, Sweet Home 1
The Huskies got four hits off one of the top teams in the state, but the five errors they committed gave the game away.
Sweet Home scored in the second inning to take an early lead, but Central powered back with three runs when the Huskies began throwing the ball away. The Panthers pounced, getting three unearned runs, and they never looked back.
“We just had one of those moments that hurt us all year long,” Coach Steve Hummer said. “We lacked consistency.”
Bayli Riggs pitched “fairly well” he said, though she also lacked consistency, walking five and striking out two. Riggs was the reason the Huskies got on the scoreboard, though, hitting a second-inning home run.
In addition to Riggs, Jessalyn Seiber, Laura Gourley and Shelbey Gillespie all got hits for the Huskies.
Central 030 111 x 6 5 1
Sweet Home 010 000 0 1 4 5