Outlaws win two more in Sky-Em League action

The Sisters High School varsity and junior varsity softball teams kept rolling in Sky-Em League action as each won a pair of games highlighted by good pitching and power hitting.

The Outlaws varsity notched wins over Elmira (6-4) and La Pine (14-0) to improve to 5-0 in league play and 14-3 overall. The back-to-back wins set the stage for an April 26 showdown with No. 1-ranked and two-time state champion Marist, also 5-0 in Sky-Em League play.

Amber Milliman hit a pair of home runs and batted in six runs, and Cassie Hernandez homered, singled twice and drove in three runs in the win over La Pine. In all, the Outlaws collected 17 base hits as Brooklyn Taylor singled twice and Carly Kreminski doubled. Sisters scored in every inning.

Milliman hit a three-run homer in the third and a solo shot in the fifth. She singled in a run in the first inning and missed a home run by inches with a run-scoring double in the second. Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the first and singled in a run in the second.

On the same day that senior Dara Kosanke was pitching an 11-strikeout no-hitter against La Pine, freshman Katie Bellew was pitching a no-hitter to lead the Junior Varsity Outlaws to a 13-0 win. Both games went five innings due to the 10-run "mercy" rule.

Kosanke helped her cause going four-for-four at the plate with three singles and a run-scoring double.

And on the same day that junior Amber Milliman went four-for-four, her freshman sister, Tiffani, also went four-for-four.

While Amber and Hernandez were displaying their power for the varsity, Jamie Simundson and Taylor Nieri were hitting the long ball for the junior varsity Outlaws.

Several players were overheard saying "it's a good day to be an Outlaw."

"Lots of people have been hitting the ball very hard lately," said coach Tom Mauldin. "And few have been hit as hard or as timely as Marisa's against Elmira."

The Outlaws coach was referring to Marisa Calavan's two-run double with one on in the bottom of the sixth to give the locals a 6-4 win over Elmira. Calavan had three hits on the day. Taylor Walker also doubled in a run and McKenzie Cooper singled twice.

Against Elmira, the Outlaws scored four runs in the first inning, but then were blanked until Carly Kreminski singled in the sixth, followed by a sacrifice bunt from Kosanke, an Elmira error and Calavan's clutch double.

Elmira had tied it in the top of the sixth with two hits, a walk, a hit batter and an Outlaws error.

Like the coach said, Calavan's hit was timely.

Kosanke picked up the pitching victory and registered 13 strikeouts.

In addition to Marist at Sisters on the 26th, the Outlaws were to host third-place Junction City on the 27th, then travel to Marist on April 29.

"It's a competitive league for sure," said Mauldin, who noted that entering the week there were four Sky-Em League teams ranked in the Top 10.

The Sisters junior varsity is 11-2 overall and finished the first round of Sky-Em League action unbeaten at 6-0.