Regis led most of the way Friday at Sweet Home, 9-6 at the top of the seventh in baseball, but the Huskies scored four runs to swipe a last-minute victory 10-9.
Regis took a 2-0 lead out of the gate, increasing it to 4-0 in the top of the third. The Huskies answered with a pair of runs and went ahead 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Huskies lead was short, and Regis scored three runs in the top of the fifth to get ahead 7-5. Trailing 9-6 in the bottom of seven, the Huskies ripped off four runs to win, while a fifth run also hit home plate in the final play of the game.
“It was just kind of a back-and-forth game,” said Coach Matt Matuszak. “We just swung the bats really well.”
The Huskies did really well on the offense, but their defense was rough, recording six errors, compared to one for Regis.
“We just played really poor defense,” Matuszak said, and pitching wasn’t as good as he’d like to see.
To win the game, Colton Holly led off the seventh inning with a single. J.T. Weld doubled to score Holly. Voldbaek singled, and the Huskies trailed 9-7.
Hunter Jutte laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Weld and move Voldbaek from first to third. Voldbaek scored on a passed ball to tie the game 9-9.
Austin Rice walked. Brandon Marquez singled, and Nate Melcher hit the game winner, scoring Rice. Marquez would have scored too if the Huskies needed the run.
“We executed really well,” Matuszak said. “I was proud of the kids for not giving up.”
The Huskies recorded 15 hits at bat 32 times, while Regis had nine hits. Marquez went 3-3 with a double, and Justin Rice went 3-5 with two RBIs, a double and a triple, scoring two runs.
A. Rice went 2-4 with two RBIS, a double and a triple, scoring three runs. Weld went 2-3 with an RBI and a double, scoring three runs.
Holly went 2-3 with a run. Cole Ashcraft went 1-2; Melcher, 1-4 with an RBI; and Voldbaek, 1-4 with a run. Jutte recorded an RBI going to bat once on the game.
Marqez started on the mound, pitching two innings, ,walking six, striking out three and giving up no hits.
Ashcraft pitched 4 1/3 innings, giving up two walks and nine hits while striking out five. Holly pitched 2/3 innings, walking one batter.
The Huskies are 2-1 with the Regis win.
“I’m fairly pleased for the most part,” Matuszak said. “We won two out of three.”
The Huskies were a little sloppy, making mental mistakes that are uncharacteristic of older players, Matuszak said. They made a lot of errors, six each against Regis and Newport.
“We’re definitely not playing our best baseball,” Matuszak said, but offense is in better shape than defense.
“Our offense has been phenomenal,” Matuszak said. The team hit .393 on the week, led by Marquez and J. Rice. They combined to go 14-24 last week along with seven base hits.
J. Rice has been phenomenal, Matuszak said. He’s hit four doubles and a triple along with a 350-foot single that should have been a double.
Early pitching is usually ahead of the bats, Matuszak said. He’s still building up his pitchers’ arm stamina and pitched seven players. No one has more than five innings yet.
“We’ve got a lot of things to clean up, and I think we will,” Matuszak said.
Scott is out with a shoulder injury from the Regis game, Matuszak said. He doesn’t know when Scott will return to the diamond.
Kevin Seiber off the bench and did a good job, he said.
“We appreciate all the support and all the fans who were able to make it,” Matuszak said.
The Huskies were scheduled to play at Monroe on Tuesday, host Monroe Thursday and play at Stayton on Friday.
Regis 202 031 1 – 9 9 1
Sweet Home 002 310 4 – 10 15 6
Newport 12, Sweet Home 2
The Huskies lost 12-2 under the 10-run rule in the sixth inning at Newport on March 12.
The teams were tied 1-1 after one inning, but Newport took a 3-1 lead in the second. The Huskies scored again in the third, while Newport scored in the last three innings to get the win.
The Huskies collected five hits, led by J. Rice, who went 1-3 with a double and a run. Also recording one hit each were A. Rice, Drayson Scott, Jutte and Holly. Dylan Elder scored a run.
Pitching were Marquez, Voldbaek, J. Rice, Scott and Elder, giving up six hits and seven earned runs, walking 12 and striking out four. The Huskies defense committed six errors to Newport’s two.
Sweet Home 101 000 – 2 5 6
Newport 120 432 – 12 6 2
Sweet Home 18,
East Linn Christian 1
The Huskies dominated East Linn Christian Academy 18-1 in their season opener on March 11.
Sweet Home steadily pulled away, and East Linn scored its only run in the sixth, trailing 15-1.
The Huskies had 15 hits, while East Linn collected just two.
Marquez went 4-5 with two RBIs, a double and two runs. A. Rice went 1-4 with three RBIs, a double and a run. Brett Blachly went 1-1 with a run and an RBI. Voldbaek went 2-3 with two RBIs and a run. Ashcraft had an RBI. J. Rice went 3-5 with two RBIs and three runs.
Scott went 1-3 with three runs and an RBI. Elder scored a run. Jutte went 2-3 with two runs, two RBIs and two doubles. Melcher scored two runs. Montana Baxter had an RBI, and Holly went 1-4 with two runs, an RBI and a double.
Pitching were Marquez, Ashcraft, J. Rice, Scott and Elder. The pitchers gave up four hits, walked three and struck out 13. Each team had two errors.
East Linn 000 001 0 – 1 4 2
Sweet Home 121 383 0 – 18 15 2