Outlaws drop to fourth with loss to Junction City Tigers

After routing Cottage Grove 22-4 and nearly upsetting state-ranked Elmira 5-4, Sisters High School's varsity softball team didn't get the result it had planned in losing a key Sky-Em League game to Junction City, 12-9.

By going 1-2 on the week, the locals dropped to fourth place in league standings. Sweet Home (11-1), Elmira (9-3), and Junction City (7-5) are ahead of the Outlaws (6-6 in league, 6-8 overall) in the standings. The top four teams in the Sky-Em advance to the post season.

The Outlaws handily beat Junction City the first two times they played (April 19), but on May 6, the Tigers needed eight innings in winning 12-9 as Whitney Osburn hit a two-run triple in the eighth inning to lead the Tigers. Olivia Borden, who went four for five, drove in the other run in the eighth for Junction City.

Senior Amber Milliman hit three doubles and a single to lead Sisters and also drove in her 22nd run of the season. Cassie Hernandez hit two doubles and a single and drove in a pair of teammates, sophomore Harley Rowe had three singles, and classmate Taylor Nieri added two base hits.

Against Cottage Grove on May 2, the Outlaws scored a season-high 22 runs in beating the Lady Lions, 22-4, and 10 SHS players had at least one base hit.

In the win over the Lions, senior Cassie Hernandez had a big day at the plate, collecting a double and triple and was five for five in the five-inning game. Senior Marisa Calavan had a trio of hits and sophomores Milliman, Nieri, and Rowe had two hits each.

Pitchers Zoey Wavrin (senior) and Rowe shared innings in the lopsided win, holding Cottage Grove hitless in the abbreviated contest.

"Zoey and Harley pitched two innings and three innings, respectively, and did not allow any hits," said Coach Jim Milliman. "Unfortunately, two walks, a hit batter and an error led to their four runs."

On May 3, the Outlaws dropped their third straight to Elmira, but the 5-4 outcome was a vast improvement over their previous two encounters, both shortened to five innings by the 10-run "mercy" rule.

With the score tied 4-4, Elmira's Caitlinn Witt put down a suicide squeeze bunt with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to drive in Jessica Lay with the winning run.

Amber Milliman led off the game with a solo home run and Rowe was four for four in her best outing of the season. Tiffany Milliman, Calavan and Jordan Richerson all added two hits against Elmira.

"We had the lead 4-3 going into the bottom of the 7th inning. They had a couple of timely hits, and unfortunately we ended up losing 5-4. Even though this was a bit of a heartbreaker, the coaching staff was thrilled with the way the girls played throughout the game," said Coach Milliman. "In our previous two games with Elmira, we have been outscored a total of 28-6 (15-3 & 13-3). I believe that with every game we are getting better and playing better. Mistakes that we were making earlier in the season are just not happening now."

After playing league-leading Sweet Home on May 9, the Outlaws wind down Sky-Em League play by visiting La Pine (May 11) and hosting Cottage Grove on Senior Day, May 13. Outlaws seniors include McKenzie Cooper, Hernandez, Wavrin, Calavan, Richerson, Amber Milliman, M.J. Schulte and Becca Pelham.

Cottage Grove defeated La Pine, 9-8, on May 6 to end its 53-game losing streak.