Sweet Home softball started off league play on the right foot last week, earning three conference victories.
The Huskies (8-1) beat Woodburn (0-5) and Sisters (2-2) on the road and Philomath (2-6) at home in the perfect week.
On Monday, a nine-run first inning helped to propel Sweet Home over Woodburn, 17-1. The Huskies outhit the Bulldogs 20-3 and were aided by 14 Woodburn errors, while Sweet Home committed just three.
Seniors Chloe Fairchild and Maddie Harris and juniors Makayal Guthrie, Kelsie Rush and Brooke Burke each had RBIs in the first frame.
Fairchild and Ray led the team with three RBIs each. Guthrie had two RBIs. Sophomore Riley Watkins, Fairchild and Ray led the team with three hits each.
Woodburn’s sole run came in the bottom of the fourth with Sweet Home already up 17-0. The game ended after four innings due to the ten-run rule.
Harris started for the Huskies and pitched one inning, recording three strikeouts while giving up one walk. Guthrie stepped in the circle after Harris and pitched three innings, giving up three hits, one run, and striking out five.
“I feel like the girls are doing a good job hitting their spots pitching and are doing a good job defensively when the ball is put in play. And we’re being selective hitters at the plate and putting the ball in play,” said Head Coach Karyn Hartsook.
Sweet Home also prevailed against Philomath on Tuesday, albeit by a much tighter margin, 4-2.
Philomath struck first in the first inning when Ahnika Tyron doubled to center field and knocked in a run. But Sweet Home took the lead right back in the second. Harris scored on a passed ball, then Burke scored on a Guthrie ground out to give Sweet Home the 2-1 lead.
Tyron again got the best of the Huskies in the top of the third, when her single to center field scored another run for the Warriors. With the game tied 2-2, Fairchild then singled to left field in the bottom of the third to give Sweet Home a 3-2 lead. Guthrie and the Husky defense then held the Warriors scoreless for four innings, and senior Adaira Sleutel scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the sixth to secure the 4-2 victory.
Harris started the game in the circle for the Huskies, pitching three innings while allowing 2 runs, four hits and recording two strikeouts. Guthrie came in for relief and pitched four innings, allowing zero runs and five hits while recording three strikeouts.
“Philomath brought some great competition,” Hartsook said. “Their pitching was probably some of the best we’ve seen so far this year, but we were successful offensively and defensively.”
On Thursday, Sweet Home dominated Sisters, winning 20-0 in three innings. With Sweet Home already up 5-0, the game was put out of reach with a monster 15 run third inning for the Huskies.
Sophomore Adisen Graber, Watkins, Harris, Fairchild, and Guthrie all got RBIs in the big inning.
Harris led the team with three RBIs in the game, while Fairchild and Guthrie had two each. Harris pitched all three innings for the Huskies, allowing only one hit while recording five strikeouts.
The Huskies face off next against Newport at home on Thursday, April 7 at 4 p.m. They then travel to Cascade on Monday, April 11 at 4:30 p.m.