Outlaws baseball team wins league crown with shutouts

The Outlaws baseball team locked up the league title as they tallied three more wins against league foes this past week. Sisters defeated the Falcons 6-1 at Elmira on Monday, April 30. The Outlaws finished up the week at home with a 10-0 shutout in six innings against Junction City (JC) on Wednesday and a 12-0 shutout over Sweet Home two days later.

On Monday, Sisters got their first run against the Falcons in the second inning.

Sam Calarco led off with a base hit, and two pass balls later was on third base. Bryce Alderman hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Calarco and the Outlaws went up 1-0.

Sisters tallied three more runs in the third. Nicky Blumm started the inning off with a single, and Justin Harrer and Jarden Weems walked to load the bases. Calarco hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Blumm, followed by Alderman who drove a ball deep into right center field for two RBI. At the bottom of the third Sisters held a 4-0 lead.

Sisters tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Aaron Selig reached base via a walk, followed by a base hit by Isaac Jackson. Weems took the plate and blasted a ball off the left field wall for a two-run double.

Elmira got their lone run of the contest in the bottom of the fourth.

Groth went the distance on the mound for Sisters and was the winning pitcher of record.

Wednesday's 10-0 shutout against the Tigers went only six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Weems pitched the first four innings for the Outlaws, and Eli Boettner came in as relief for the final two. Sisters had 10 runs off 11 hits and zero errors while the Tigers had zero runs on two hits and three errors.

Harrer went two-for-two with an RBI and Weems went two-for-two with a double. Calarco had a double and a triple for three RBI and Groth was three-for-four with two RBI.

The Outlaws took care of business quickly in Friday's game against the Huskies and the game was stopped after five innings, again due to the 10-run rule.

Harrer got a single in the first inning to get the Outlaws started. Harrer stole second and a wild pitch got him to third. Weems scored Harrer on a fielder's choice and Morgan brought home Weems on a fielders choice to give the Outlaws a 2-0 lead.

Sisters tacked on seven more runs in the second to push to a 9-0 advantage. Blumm scored Ryan Pollard on a suicide squeeze, and Harrer hit a two-RBI single to highlight the inning. The other runs came due to walks and errors by the Huskies.

Groth gave the fans something to cheer about when he blasted a rocket line-drive solo home run over the left center field fence in the third. Harrer hit an RBI triple straight over the center fielder's head for Sisters' final run of the inning.

Of Groth's homerun, Hodges said, "It was without a doubt the best ball he's hit all year."

The Outlaws wrapped up their scoring effort in the fourth inning, when Harrer scored Groth on a fielder's choice.

Sisters recorded 12 runs on eight hits and Sweet Home had no runs on two hits.

Groth pitched the first four innings for Sisters and Blumm came in as relief in the fifth. Groth is undefeated in league with an 8-0 record.

Hodges said, "We've really solidified as a team this past month, and I'm pleased with how we've hit the ball the last couple of weeks. We've played some competitive games with good pitching, good defense and good offense."

The Outlaws are looking forward to completing league play under warm weather conditions that are expected this week. Sisters will play at home against Cottage Grove on Friday, May 11, and then face Grant Union at home in a non-league double-header on Saturday. The first game is scheduled to begin at noon.