Sean C. Morgan
This year’s Sweet Home High School softball team returns a lot of experience, flexibility in pitching staff and a goal of going deeper into the state playoffs than last year.
The team lost Ally Tow and Kylie Armstrong to graduation.
The Huskies return seniors Marissa Kurtz and Sydney Mauer in the outfield; and infielder Sunhee Bitter; juniors Ashtyn Walker as pitcher and outfielder; Allison Miner at third base; and Jasmine Carter in the outfield; and sophomores Savannah Hutchins as a pitcher and outfielder; Gracie Zanona at catcher and in the infield; and infielder Bailee Hartsook.
Joining them are freshman Chloe Fairchild, who will swing with JV; junior Olivia Fairchild as pitcher; junior Samantha Virtue in the outfield; and sophomore Emily Brown as an infielder.
“We’re fast again,” said Coach Karyn Hartsook. “That’s an asset in the outfield and base running.”
After finishing in the state quarterfinals last year with a loss to Philomath, she said, her players “want to finish better than that.”
To that end, the Huskies have spent the off-season preparing for this year, she said.
“Our pitching looks good,” Hartsook said. “The girls have been working hard.”
Emily Marchbanks, who has joined as assistant coach this year, has been working with the three pitchers, Walker, Hutchins and Fairchild. Marchbanks dominated in the circle for the Huskies before moving on to pitch for Clackamas Community College and Newberry College.
“I’m trying to build on what we already have,” Hartsook said of running multiple pitchers.
“The pitchers complement each other, bring something different (a right, a left and a nice drop ball) to the circle.”
On the other side of the plate, “I feel like we’ll be competitive throughout the lineup,” Hartsook said. Players have been working on improving their on-base percentage and having smart, quality at-bats.
Hartsook said a lot of her team members play other sports, and they’ve gained a lot of confidence. They’re also dedicated.
“We have returning players who have spent the off-season on their own time getting better,” Hartsook said. The goal is to get mentally stronger, something useful long after high school sports. “I want them to leave the program and know people believe in them and that they can overcome obstacles in their lives.”
Moving from the Sky-Em League to the Oregon West Conference, the Huskies saw two of their new league rivals Philomath and Newport last season. They lost games to both.
Those two teams will be the biggest challenges this year, Hartsook said. The Huskies also saw and defeated Stayton and Cascade last year.
Stayton has some good players and will be competitive, Hartsook said. How tough Cascade will be depends on what the Cougars did over the summer.
Around the state, La Grande beat Henley in the state championship last year. Hartsook expects both teams to return strong this year, and Philomath and Junction City should be competitive too.
She doesn’t know what Banks looks like this year, but that program is always strong.
“I’m excited to see the kids play together,” Hartsook said. “I’m very confident in their softball skills, their softball knowledge.”
They have a desire to win and strong senior leadership, she added.
Michelle Knight continues as JV coach with assistant Caitlyn Gillespie. Ashley Cota and Marchbanks are assisting varsity. Both have college softball experience.
The Huskies will host Elmira at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Banks at 4 p.m. Friday.
They begin their league schedule at Woodburn Monday and travel to Philomath on March 20.
Junior varsity players are freshmen Maddie Harris, Mykal Johnston, Cass Banta, Kayla Hastings, Gracie Furst, Adaira Burger, Chloe Fairchild and Dyanna Arnold; sophomores Tatiana Patricio and Katie Ensley; and juniors Katie Kurtz, Mariah Koenig, Jessica Manson and Danielle Tressel.