Ken Roberts
Sports Writer
For a moment, it appeared as if the Sweet Home softball team was going to struggle at Sisters, a team with no league victories and a team that the Huskies had previously beaten 10-0.
After not scoring in the first inning, Sweet Home committed three errors after an Outlaws opening single to open the door to a three run inning.
Freshman Michelle Cliver, who played flawlessly at shortstop and drove in two runs, thinks defense carries over to the offense.
“Defense is what makes a really good ball game,” said Cliver. “If you have a good defense throughout the game, it keeps you in the game. It affects the whole outcome.”
To overcome the rocky start, the Husky bats came alive in the second, starting with a Sara Brocard triple and followed by four run-producing singles by Mickenzie Draper, Sarah Winslow, Michelle Cliver and Kendra Greene. That barrage put the Huskies in the lead for good at 6-3, eventually finishing off the Outlaws by a score of 16-5.
One more critical error in the second allowed Sisters to score two more unearned runs, but after that the defense stood tough as the Huskies went errorless over the last five innings and Ashley Wall collected her second league victory by limiting Sisters to seven hits and just one walk.
Wall has had to step in for Mackenzie Marchbanks, who will be out at least two more weeks and maybe the whole season. Wall’s confidence seems to grow when the defense performs behind her.
“If I’m not doing so hot, it doesn’t shake me as much as it did last year,” said Wall, who has faith in her defense. “If it’s strong in the later innings, then I feel confident that I can give the hitters balls to hit and we will make the plays.”
Sweet Home picked up two runs each in the fourth and sixth innings before putting together another six run blitz in the top half of the seventh. With two out in that inning and the bases loaded on walks, Nicki Aerni and Wall each had singles to keep the inning going. For the day, Wall helped her own cause, going 1 for 2 with 3 walks and 3 RBI’s.
With the rain disrupting much of the schedule, Sweet Home will play four games in a row this week, starting with a make up game against league leading Stayton Monday and then facing North Marion, Molalla, and Cascade, all teams that defeated the Huskies in the first third of the season.
Coach Rob Younger will have to juggle the pitching staff, counting primarily on Wall with Cliver, who has pitched in only one other game, coming on in relief perhaps. It will be a game by game, inning by inning decision for Younger, who especially wants to go for victories over North Marion and Molalla as the Huskies position themselves for the possibility of district playoffs.
“We will have to rally behind Wall and Cliver,” said Younger. “That means solid defense and aggressive hitting every game, every inning.”