Outlaws softball team plays tough

The Lady Outlaws came up one run short in each of two tough softball games last week.

Sisters lost 8-7 on Tuesday, March 15 at home against La Pine and then fell 3-2 on Friday against 4A Summit in a contest that carried into extra innings.

Cindy Harp scored Sisters’ first run of the game in the second inning in Tuesday’s game against La Pine. Harp got a base hit, advanced to third on two passed balls and scored on a ground ball by Courtney Overstreet.

In the fourth Samantha Stoneback walked, stole two bases and scored on a passed ball to put Sisters up 2-0.

The Lady Hawks put together a rally that led to five runs in the fifth inning and took a 5-2 lead.

La Pine scored three more runs in the top of the sixth to stretch their advantage to 8-2.

Sisters came back with a huge rally of their own in the bottom of the sixth and scored five runs.

Michaela Bennett led off with a single, followed by a single from Courtney Medcalf. Cortney Peters drew a walk and Camille Pederson hit a single that scored Bennett and Medcalf. Sisters narrowed La Pine’s lead to 8-4.

Becky Bremer drew a walk to load the bases and a passed ball scored Peters. Cindy Harp and Stoneback both drew walks.

Sisters scored two more runs and closed in on the Lady Hawks 8-7. With the bases loaded and two outs, Courtney Overstreet hit the ball to deep center field but the ball was caught for the final out.

The game was called due to darkness at the end of the sixth inning.

Freshman Samantha Stoneback made her varsity debut on the mound for the Outlaws and pitched the entire game. Stoneback struck out nine batters.

“Sammy showed she’s going to be a force for the next four years,” said Coach Doug McDonald.

The Lady Outlaws had four hits in the game with singles from Courtney Medcalf, Camille Pederson, Cindy Harp and Michaela Bennett.

Medcalf, Pederson and Overstreet each had one RBI.

“Our girls showed a lot of character coming back in the last inning,” said McDonald. “They never gave up.”

Three days later the Outlaws lost 3-2 against 4A Summit in a game that Coach McDonald described as “awesome.”

Sisters scored both their runs in the fourth inning.

Cindy Harp singled to get on base and Cortney Peters followed with an RBI triple to the right field fence. Courtney Overstreet hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Peters.

The Lady Outlaws held the lead and were up 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh with one out. Summit hit three singles and Sisters had an error which led to two Storm runs to tie the game and force extra innings.

Summit scored a run in the bottom of the eighth to win the game.

“It was the way softball should be played, great defense by both teams,” said Coach McDonald.

McDonald had praise for several of his players.

“Our catcher, Cindy Harp, made a couple of amazing plays and Sammy pitched another great game. She (Samantha) had complete control over the other players. She kept the ball down which led to a lot of ground balls and our infield just scooped ’em up.”

McDonald noted that his infield players, Becky Bremer, Courtney Medcalf, Katie Hughes and Courtney Peters all played a solid game. Crystal Jewell made two awesome catches in right field and Camille Pederson had a great catch in left field.

McDonald admitted it was tough to lose another close game and stated that the team has to put up more runs when they face a good team like Summit.

Peters went two for three with a triple and Harp, Bremer and Stoneback all singled. Overstreet and Peters each had one RBI.