Lady Outlaws strengthen playoff chances

Getting big run-producing days from seniors Marissa Calavan and McKenzie Cooper and sophomore Tiffany Milliman, Sisters High School's (SHS) varsity softball team inched closer to securing a postseason playoff spot with a 10-3 win over La Pine on April 26.

The Sky-Em League victory improved the Lady Outlaws' overall record to 5-6, but more importantly tied the locals with Junction City for third place in league standings. Each team is 5-4, with Junction City reeling with three straight defeats.

Both SHS and Junction City trail league-leading Sweet Home (8-1 in league, 11-2 overall) and Elmira (8-2, 13-3). The top four teams from the Sky-Em advance to the postseason.

The battle for the league's No. 3 playoff spot favors the Outlaws. They play Elmira and Sweet Home once each with two games remaining against Cottage Grove and one each against Junction City and La Pine. In the tie-breaker with Junction City, the Outlaws have the edge by virtue of winning the two previous encounters between the two.

Meanwhile, Junction City must play Elmira and Sweet Home two more times each. The Outlaws and Junction City meet May 6 at SHS. The locals were scheduled to play at Elmira May 3.

According to La Pine Coach Paul Holland, senior Zoe Wavrin picked up the win for the Outlaws, scattering four hits and going the distance.

The big inning for the Outlaws was the third, when they combined key base hits with a pair of Lady Hawk errors and scored seven runs. They also scored one in the first and two in the fourth.

La Pine scored two in the second and one in the seventh.

Calavan doubled and singled and drove in four runs, while Cooper and Milliman drove in a pair each. All totaled, SHS collected a dozen base hits.

The loss greatly dimmed postseason hopes for La Pine, 2-8 in league and 3-15 overall. Cottage Grove's last win came in 2008. The Lions are 0-10 on the season and winless in nine Sky-Em games. They were scheduled to play the Lady Outlaws on April 29, but that game was delayed by weather until May 2.