Stayton 2, Sweet Home 1
The Huskies almost tied the softball game or score the winning run several times, but each chance slipped away as they ended their dream season abruptly Thursday, losing 2-1 to the visiting Stayton Eagles in the first round of state playoffs.
“It’s a tough finish to a great season,” said Coach Steve Hummer. “Stayton plays in a league with Central, Cascade and Newport which are all very good teams. They are not your normal number four seed. We knew this was going to be a tough game, and we just could not seem to find the key hits when we needed them.”
The Huskies left the bases loaded in the fifth and the game-tying run on second in the fourth and seventh.
“They pitched well and did a great job,” Hummer said. “I give them a lot of credit.
“It was a tough day at the plate. The strike zone seemed to shift, and our kids struggled knowing what to swing at.”
Katie Virtue tripled in the third and scored on an error. Tasha Saunders doubled in the fourth with two out, but her team was not able to get her home.
“We also loaded the bases in the fifth with two out, but again failed to get the big hit,” Hummer said. “I felt Ashley Cochran had a great day at second, and our kids really played hard.”
The Huskies lost Megan Rubidoux to a broken thumb on Tuesday, so they had to shift three players on defense. Emili Riggs went to short, Saunders to first and Jasmin Yoder got the start in leftfield.
“The girls responded very well,” Hummer said. “We played great defense. I was proud of the way we handled the adversity.
“It was a sad ending for us, but what a great season. We won 17 games, beat the defending state champions and won a conference title outright for the first time in 22 years. This team has set the bar high for Husky softball in the future.”
The Huskies’ success led to eight players gaining all-league recognition.
First team selections were Megan Graville at pitcher; Shelbey Gillespie, catcher; Sarah Wyatt, infield; Emili Riggs, utility player; and outfielders Saunders and Virtue.
Second team selections were Cochran as an infielder and Bayli Riggs as a pitcher.
Hummer was named the Sky-Em Coach of the Year.
Stayton 002 000 0 – 2 8 1
Sweet Home 001 000 0 – 1 4 0
WP: Cruz
LP: Graville
Doubles: Stutzman (St), and Saunders (SH)
Triples: Virtue (SH)