By Keeghan Kittins
For The New Era
Making a big push for the playoffs, Sweet Home’s softball players ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak.
The Huskies started with a 13-1 landslide at Newport Monday, May 12, Sweet Home faced Newport, winning in a landslide. On Wednesday they celebrated Senior Night with a thrilling 6–5 comeback win over North Marion, then scored a come-from-behind 11-8 win Thursday, May 15, at No. 10 Stayton, coming back down 8–3, scoring eight runs in the seventh inning.
Sweet Home 13, Newport 1
The Huskies needed only six innings to roll over Newport and end the game on the mercy rule.
Aubrey Newberry opened the game’s scoring with an RBI single. Anabelle Morris drove in two more runs to close the inning, 3–0. Sweet Home added another in the second and four more in the third.
Miley Smith led the team in runs and hits, with three apiece, including two doubles.
Three Huskies had at least two RBIs (Katriona Harris, Morris, Addy Vannice). Sweet Home was excellent at the plate, only striking out twice over the whole game. They made the game 9–1 in the fifth and added another four in the top of the sixth.
Jocelynn Fairchild pitched the whole game, only needing 85 pitches to put the Cubs away and only giving up two hits the entire game. She struck out 25% of the batters she faced. As a team, Sweet Home was able to limit their errors, only committing two.
Sweet Home 6, North Marion 5
At home Wednesday, the Huskies eked out a close win over visiting North Marion.
Sweet Home got on the board first with an Aubrey Newberry sacrifice fly, then added to their lead, capitalizing on multiple North Marion errors.
Newberry and Miley Smith both recorded a double, while Kaitlyn Kennedy had the game’s only triple. Heading into the top of the fifth, Sweet Home had a comfortable lead, winning 4–1.
“We had few errors, but they came at crucial times,” said Coach Sandy Brown, as North Marion was able to score three runs off errors in the fourth and added another run with a single, making the game 5-4.
Jocelynn Fairchild pitched most of the game; after the lead change, Harris relieved her for the final two innings, making quick work of the North Marion batters – not allowing a single run or hit and only giving up one walk.
Sweet Home was able to get three straight batters out in the top of the sixth but had three straight fly-outs to close the inning.
Another round of great defense, getting another three straight batters out, kept North Marion scoreless. Entering the bottom of the seventh, Sweet Home was down one.
“We had Kaitlyn Kennedy pinch-hit in the 7th, and she started the inning with a leadoff triple. That was a very clutch moment that helped us when it mattered,” said Coach Emily Marchbanks. After Kennedy’s clutch triple, Miley Smith followed it up with a double to tie the game. Addy Vannice ended the game on a single to center field. Miley Smith had her second straight game with three runs.
Sweet Home ended the game 6–5 and went 3–0 against North Marion on the season.
Sweet Home 11, Stayton 8
Tied up at one win each coming into the final regular-season game for both teams, Sweet Home was coming off a 14-0 loss to the Eagles in their last face-off, during May Week.
This game started with much of the same recipe; the Huskies entered the top of the seventh down 8–3. But then things changed.
Sweet Home was able to rally off eight runs and win the game 11–8.
Harris started the game in the circle for Sweet Home, facing 37 batters in seven innings, throwing 145 pitches, and striking out six. She and the Husky defense were able to keep the high-powered Stayton offense scoreless for three crucial innings – most importantly in the bottom of the seventh inning – to protect their only lead of the game.
At the plate, Sweet Home started slow, not scoring until the third inning.
A Morris two-run RBI double made the game 3–3. Morris led the team with three RBIs.
The Huskies went on another dry spell, not scoring and only getting one hit in three innings. The Eagles added three more to their lead in the fifth and another in the sixth to make the game 8–3.
Down five runs and lacking momentum, Harris was able to kick off the inning with a home run, which was what her team needed..
“Obviously, the home run was a standout moment, but I also think Miley and Hannah getting back-to-back base hits right after it really continued the momentum and showed a lot of maturity on their part. They stayed in control during their at-bats and weren’t trying to do too much,” Marchbanks said..
The Huskies demonstrated a great eye at the plate, getting four of their five walks and five of their 12 hits in the seventh inning – the home run, three singles, and a double.
“I think defensively we were more consistent. I also felt like the girls did a good job of continuing to push through and not give up,” Marchbanks said regarding the difference between this game and the 14–0 loss.
“I think this week showed a lot of growth on our part to continually push even when we are behind late in games,” said Marchbanks.
The Huskies end the regular season going 17–8, and the 12-ranked team in Oregon’s 4A class division. Sweet Home placed third in the OWC, going 9–6 in league matchups. This qualifies them to play in the play-in tournament.
At press time, play-in matchups had not been announced, but Sweet Home is the third-highest third-place team and will most likely host a play-in game. The first round of the state tournament starts Tuesday, May 27.