Elmira snapped a nine-game Huskies winning streak 10-4 in softball on April 19, but the Huskies bounced back to defeat Sisters 11-1 by the 10-run rule in the sixth inning on Friday.
The Huskies are 10-2 overall and 7-1 and first place in the Sky-Em.
Sweet Home 11, Sisters 1
After losing an important league game, the Huskies got back on the winning track Friday hosting Sisters.
Sweet Home jumped on Sisters with a relentless offense, including 14 hits and eight stolen bases, highlighted by a grand slam from Bayli Riggs in the second inning.
“As a team we have been struggling a bit at the plate,” said Coach Steve Hummer. “It was nice to get the bats going again and play great defense. Bayli made a great swing on a pitch in the second that she sent over the center field fence. That seemed to really ignite us, and the girls drew a lot of confidence from that.”
Ashley Cochran went 3-5, with two stolen bases. Sara Wyatt, Katie Virtue, Tasha Saunders and Megan Graville each added two hits.
“The girls ran the bases well, played errorless defense and really struck the ball well tonight,” Hummer said.
Graville struck out eight batters, giving up four hits and one walk over six innings.
“I was proud of them,” Hummer said. “The loss to Elmira was disappointing. It was nice to have such a great response to a loss. This type of performance shows our maturity, our senior leadership. The seniors collected seven of the 14 hits, and they all shined today. They did a great job getting us back on the winning end and leading us.”
Sisters 000 010 – 1 4 3
Sweet Home 140 132 – 11 14 0
Battery
Sisters: Wavrin, Kreminski(3) and Nieri
Sweet Home: Graville and Gillespie
WP: Graville , 7-1 LP: Wavrin
Doubles
Sisters: Miliman
Sweet Home: Gillespie
Triples
Sweet Home: Virtue
Homeruns
Sweet Home: Bayli Riggs(GS)
Elmira 10, Sweet Home 4
The Huskies lost 10-4 in an error-filled game at Elmira on April 19.
“We just didn’t seem to have the focus we needed today,” Hummer said. “ Our defense had numerous lapses, and we made some mistakes on the bases. It was just one of those days. We were just not focused, and it cost us.”
Riggs pitched a solid game and gave her team a chance to win, Hummer said. “But we didn’t play well enough to win.”
Cochran was 2-3 at the plate, and she had two stolen bases. Shelbey Gillespie, Wyatt and Emili Riggs also added hits.
“We battled with them early,” Hummer said. “They got up 2-0, and we fought back to tie in the top of the fourth. I liked how we competed early. We played hard, but we just couldn’t sustain it.”
Elmire scored a two-run homerun in the bottom of the fourth, and the Huskies fought back again in the fifth to make it 4-3.
“From then on it was them getting hits and us making mistakes,” Hummer said.. “I think the loss will refocus us. Sometimes a loss is just what you need to make you realize you must continue to work hard and get better every day. We will make a positive out of this. We will improve because of this loss. Our seniors are focused and motivated. They are leading us, and I have a great deal of faith in them.”
Sweet Home 001 110 1 – 4 5 6
Elmira 110 215 x – 10 8 4
Battery
Sweet Home: B. Riggs, Graville(6), and Gillespie
Elmira: Boytz and Thoms
WP: Boytz LP: B. Riggs, 3-1
Homeruns
Elmira: Lay
Sky Em Standings
Sweet Home 7 -1
Elmira 6-2
Junction City 5-3
Sisters 4-4
Lapine 2-6
Cottage Grove 0-8