Lady Outlaws capture third in league

Paced by the big bats of seniors Amber Milliman and Cassie Hernandez, the Sisters High School varsity softball team recorded three timely victories to grab third place in the Sky-Em League standings and roll into postseason play with a three-game win streak.

The three wins enabled the Lady Outlaws to finish the regular 15-game Sky-Em League season with a 9-6 record (9-8 overall). Finishing third puts them into a state "play-in" game against the No. 2 team from the Oregon West League -Central of Independence. Finishing fourth would have put the Outlaws on the field against defending 4A champion Cascade, champion of the OWL.

The play-in game will be played May 19 at Central High School in Independence. The winner advances to the first round of the 4A State Playoffs beginning on May 25.

Central finished the season with a 21-2 record and was one of only two teams to defeat Cascade this season, 2-1. The lone common foe between Sisters and Central is Sky-Em champion Sweet Home. The No. 3-ranked Panthers beat the Huskies 7-5 and 3-1.

The Outlaws defeated Sweet Home on May 9, 6-5. It was clearly the biggest win of the season for the locals, with the Huskies ranked among the state's top 10 (4A) squads. Sweet Home routed the Outlaws the two previous games, 11-1 and 15-3 in games shortened by the 10-run "mercy" rule.

But there was no mercy needed for the Outlaws in the third game, when Milliman and Hernandez homered to lead the win. The blast by Hernandez was a grand slam. Hernandez and Milliman have combined to drive in 54 runs this season.

Zoe Wavrin went the distance for the pitching decision and struck out five, including the final two with two Huskie runners on base.

Coach Jim Milliman called it "a great win for us."

The Outlaws followed the upset win with a 10-4 victory over La Pine. Milliman hit her fourth home run of the season, breaking her 2010 school record of three. She also hit a double and two singles to drive in four runs. Taylor Nieri had a four-hit game and Jordan Richerson, Hernandez, Marissa Calavan and Tiffani Milliman added two each.

The win assured the Outlaws of at least a .500 season as it put them at 9-8 overall.