The Sweet Home High School softball team won a tough game 16-12 at Pleasant Hill March 22 and then dominated Siuslaw at home Thursday, 24-5.
“We are working through some things, getting people settled into their positions,” said Coach Karyn Hartsook. “The girls are getting settled in. They’re more confident at the plate and defensively. The girls are improving daily.”
Players are getting used to positions they aren’t used to playing, she said.
“They’re willing to change to be better. They’re starting to gel as far as team bonding. I can’t stress how hard they’re working.”
The team has tons of talent, speed and athletic ability, she said.
“I’m fortunate to have the group that I do.”
The Huskies traveled to Bend for a four-game tournament Monday and Tuesday against Crook County, Scappoose, Corbett and Madras. Hartsook anticipated that Scappoose would be the toughest match.
Sweet Home is 2-2 overall, and begins league at Sutherlin on April 4.
Sweet Home 16,
Pleasant Hill 12
The Huskies and Pleasant Hill exchanged the lead three times in an error-filled contest before Sweet Home took the final lead in the fifth inning.
“We just outhit them,” Hartsook said. “Both teams definitely struggled at places.”
Sweet Home committed seven errors on the game, while Pleasant Hill committed 13.
The Huskies trailed 3-0 after the first inning but then scored six runs to lead 6-3 in the second inning. Pleasant Hill added two runs each in the third and fourth innings to take a 7-6 lead.
At the top of the fifth, the Huskies scored three runs to take a 9-6 lead and then added another seven in the sixth inning to secure their lead against a five-run response by Pleasant Hill at the bottom of the inning.
To get things going in the fifth, Sydney Mauer singled. Sunhee Bitter singled to advance her to second. Sarita Zanona hit a ground ball and reached on an error by the first baseman, advancing Mauer to third and Bitter to second.
Mauer stole home to score. Bitter stole second, and Zanona stole second as Ashtyn Walker struck out. Ashley Miner grounded out, and then Madi Barringer scored Bitter and Zanona with a pop fly and an error by the first baseman to take a 9-7 lead.
Walker recorded the win, pitching seven innings for the Huskies, giving up 11 hits, six earned runs and a walk while striking out four batters.
Pleasant Hill’s pitcher gave up 11 hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out three in six innings.
At bat, Bitter collected three hits with one RBI and three runs. Barringer had two doubles, four RBIs and two runs. Miner had two hits, with one double, two runs and an RBI. Torree Hawken had two hits with one run.
Walker hit the ball once, with two runs and three RBIs. Ally Tow had one hit and an RBI, while Mayer had one hit and two runs. Zanona had two runs and an RBI. Kylie Armstrong and Makenna Melbye each had one run.
Sweet Home 060 037 0 – 16 12 7
Pleasant Hill 302 205 0 – 12 11 13
Sweet Home 24, Siuslaw 5
“We’re just still working on defense,” Hartsook said. Sweet Home continued to narrow down its errors, committing just two in this game.
Siuslaw scored four runs out of the gate Thursday, March 23, before a dominating performance at bat vaulted Sweet Home to a victory under the 10-run rule in the fifth inning.
Sweet Home gave up four singles and committed its two errors before taking control.
Miner singled, and Barringer drove her home with a double to trail 4-1 after one inning.
In the second inning, Siuslaw scored just one more time on a double line drive to center field.
The Huskies took the lead at the bottom of the inning. Hawken singled, and Tow doubled on a line drive to left field to score her. Tow advanced to third on a pass ball. Melbye was hit by a pitch and took first base.
Mauer hit a pop fly and reached base on an error at second base. Melbye advanced to second.
Siuslaw picked off Melbye at second base, and Tow stole home to score a run. Bitter walked, advancing Mayer to second base.
Zanona singled on a line drive to center field, advancing Mauer to third base and Bitter to second. Miner singled to third base, scoring Mauer. Bitter scored on the throw to tie the game, and Zanona advanced to second.
Barringer tripled on a line drive to left field to score Zanona and Miner and take a 7-5 lead.
The Huskies piled on more runs to lead 15-5 by the end of the second inning. They added five more runs in the third inning and four more in the fourth.
At bat, Miner went 4-5 with eight RBIs, three runs and a home run. Barringer went 3-4 with four RBIs, a run, a triple and a double. Tow went 3-4 with an RBI, four runs and a double. Zanona went 3-4 with four runs and two RBIs.
Bitter collected two hits with an RBI and four runs. Mauer had two hits with three runs, and Hawken had one hit with two runs.
Walker recorded an RBI and a run, and Melbye had one RBI and two runs.
For Siuslaw Claire Waggoner collected two hits, with a double, an RBI and a run.
Pitching for Sweet Home, Walker earned the win pitching five innings. She gave up five hits four earned runs and two walks and struck out one batter.
For Siuslaw, Heidi Jones pitched 2 1/3 innings, giving up 13 hits, nine earned runs and three walks and striking out one batter. In relief, Abby Coday threw two outs, giving up two hits, two earned runs and two walks.
Siuslaw 4 1 0 00 – 5 6 5
Sweet Home 1(14)5 4x – 24 18 2