Outlaws split in four Sky-Em League outings

Sandwiched between a pair of defeats, the Sisters High School varsity softball team swept a Sky-Em League doubleheader from host Junction City in what was the Lady Outlaws' best display of hitting this season.

The 2-2 Sky-Em League week puts the Outlaws at 4-4 in the standings, one game behind third-place Junction City (5-3) and three behind league leader Sweet Home (7-1).

Against Junction City on April 19, the Outlaws won the first game 10-2, and needed just five innings in claiming the second game, 13-3. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Senior Zoey Wavrin pitched a two-hitter in the opener, and only one of the two Junction City runs was earned. She also scored three times, reaching first twice on Tiger errors and once on a walk.

Carrying the big sticks for the Outlaws were seniors Amber Milliman and Cassie Hernandez. Milliman, the team's leading hitter, hit a 2-run homer, doubled and singled twice in driving in three runs. Hernandez had two doubles, a single and also drove home three teammates.

Coach Jim Milliman said the catalyst in blowing open the first game was an "awesome bunt" by senior Jordan Richerson.

Milliman and Hernandez also keyed the offensive attack in the 13-3 second-game victory, combining for four base hits and four more runs batted it. But sophomores Taylor Nieri and Tiffani Milliman each had three base hits, with Milliman driving in four runs with a pair of doubles and a single. Senior Mckenzie Cooper also scored a pair of runs.

"We coaches are quite pleased with the way all of the girls played in the doubleheader. Every player on the team was able to contribute to these wins," said Milliman. "The girls were hitting the ball hard, and I believe that is what led to quite a few of their (Tiger) errors."

Junior Carly Kreminski picked up the pitching victory in relief of Wavrin who pitched the first two innings. Kreminski pitched the final three and allowed just one hit. Of the three Tiger runs scored, two were unearned.

"We had four games this week, finishing 2-2. It was a week of extreme highs and lows," said Milliman. "We really need to achieve more consistency on both sides of the ball within the same game."

Prior to SHS's beating the Tigers, Elmira drubbed the Outlaws in five, 15-3. Dani Upton was 4-for-5 with two singles, a double and a grand slam in the fifth inning to finish with four RBIs. Winning pitcher Alyson Boytz struck out seven and added a three-run home run for the Falcons. It was the second time she three-hit the Outlaws this season. Amber Milliman doubled and drove in two runs.

"We were down after four innings by a score of 4-3," said Milliman. "A bad fifth inning put us down 12-3; they then added three more in the sixth for the 15-3 win."

Against Sweet Home, Bayli Riggs hit a grand slam in the second inning for the Huskies in their 11-1 win over Sisters. Megan Graville went the distance in the circle, giving up one earned run on three hits with eight strikeouts and a walk in the abbreviated six-inning game. Amber Milliman doubled in SHS's lone run.

Nieri had a base hit in each of the losses.

The Outlaws' schedule gets a little less imposing as the Sky-Em moves past the halfway mark. SHS plays the league's top two teams only once each, and four of their final seven games will be at home.

Sweet Home leads the Sky-Em with a 7-1 record (10-2 overall), while Elmira - the lone team to defeat Sweet Home in league - is one game back at 6-2 (11-3). Junction City sits at 5-3 (8-5), and the Lady Outlaws are 4-4 (4-6). Rounding out the bottom of the standings are La Pine 2-6 (3-13) and Cottage Grove 0-8 (0-9).