Baseball team racks up pair of wins

The boys baseball team opened league play with an 8-2 victory over Sweet Home on Tuesday, March 21 and a 6-5 victory over Molalla two days later.

In Tuesday’s match-up with the Huskies, Sisters jumped out to an early 2-0 lead at the bottom of the first inning. Jeff Fitter led with a walk and quickly stole second. Carter Davenport singled to bring Fitter home. Davenport stole second and Hayden Mayea got on base with an RBI single.

Austin Stark singled in the third to drive in two more runs and push the Outlaws to a 4-0 lead. Sisters added three more runs in the fourth to take a 7-0 advantage.

Sweet Home scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fifth to close the Outlaw lead to 7-2.

Sisters added one more run in the bottom of the sixth to complete the scoring.

Jeff Fitter pitched the entire game and was backed by a solid defense. Fitter had six strike-outs, two walks, and no earned runs in the game.

Carter Davenport and Andy Burke both had three hits and two RBI in the game. James Bristow had a double.

Coach Kevin Bigby said, “It was really nice to get that first win, especially with it being our first league game. I felt like the key was we were able to relax and become a little more aggressive. I feel it’s important for us to gain confidence early in the season. We definitely have the ability to play well – we just have to believe it.

“Jeff (Fitter) was the catalyst for us today in the lead- off spot, along with his performance on the mound,” added Bigby.

Two days later the Outlaws notched another league win with a 6-5 victory over Molalla that came down to the final out.

Sisters entered the sixth inning with a 4-3 lead but Molalla came back and quickly put two runners on base.

Bigby said, “Andy (Burke) was pitching for the first time this season and to this point had pitched the entire game. He was battling with his control so I had to make a pitching switch.”

Bigby brought in Austin Stark to finish. Molalla’s first batter hit a double to drive in two runs and the Indians stole the lead 5-4. Stark settled down on the mound and got the Outlaws out of the inning.

Darkness was becoming an issue and at that point the umpires conferred and decided that the game would be over at the end of the sixth inning.

“It was a do-or-die situation for us,” said Bigby.

Sisters’ first batter for the inning lined out to right field but then Kyle Bowen stepped to the plate and crushed the ball off the left field fence for a double.

The next batter struck out. With two outs and the game on the line, lead-off hitter Jeff Fitter hit a ground rule double to left center to score Bowen and tie the game at 6-6.

Davenport followed with a single up the middle to score Fitter and the Outlaws won the game 6-5.

“This game was a huge confidence builder for us,” said Bigby. “We’re feeling real good about starting league at 2-0 and this next week we’ll have a chance to fine tune some things and shake off some of the early-season rust.”

Sisters had multiple hits in the game. Fitter had three hits, including two doubles and three RBI. Davenport and Hayden Mayea both had two hits. Burke and Bowen both had a single and a double.

Burke pitched five plus innings and Stark was credited with the save.

The Outlaws will compete in the LaPine Tournament, which has been moved to Madras, on Thursday through Saturday, March 30 through April 1. Sisters will play against Lakeview on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.