Outlaws tame the Lions

The Outlaws posted a sweet 14-3 victory over Cottage Grove at home on Friday, April 24, and redeemed themselves from their loss to the Lions in the first round of league play. Three days earlier they smashed Sutherlin 15-1 in another home win.

In Friday's action, Sisters matched up against the Lions in a game that proved to be quite the opposite of their first encounter earlier in the season.

Sisters scored 14 runs on 11 hits and only committed one error in the contest, while the Lions had three runs on five hits, and had seven errors in the game.

The Outlaws' freshman phenom Zach Morgan pitched five innings and earned the win. Morgan leads the team in pitching victories with seven wins on the season. Zach had four strikeouts in the game and two walks. Jon Luz came in and closed out the sixth inning.

"Zach settled in, and threw his fastball for strikes," said Coach Steve Hodges. "He did a great job today."

Alex Olivier had a big triple to left-center field that scored one to get the Outlaws fired up in the first inning. In the fourth, Luz led off with a triple to right-center. And, in the bottom of the sixth, Justin Harrer hit a two-out laser line drive double down the right field line, which brought the game to an end.

Harrer finished three-for-four with three RBI, Olivier was three-for-four with four RBI and Luz was one-for-three with two RBI.

Hodges said, "This last week we really came together. Our practices have been good and our guys have responded. We came out today focused, and did well in all facets of the game. We were ready and prepared. Last time around we lost 3-2 to Cottage Grove, and today we wanted to make a statement, and we proved it on the field. The guys made my job easy today."

Olivier also commented on the game and how he feels about what's ahead.

"We were focused and ready to take it to them today," said Olivier. "We had lots of chatter, mental focus, and the drive to take the game from them! We didn't have that the last time we faced them. But, we have turned around as a team, and we are scoring runs, and not leaving as many runners on

base.

"I feel that our team is doing superb! I believe if we keep this up we will go far this season. We are a good hitting team, and we're showing that right now."

Three days earlier Sisters gave Sutherlin a 15-1 drubbing. The Outlaws scored their runs on nine hits.

Olivier was the Outlaws' winning pitcher. Alex pitched well for the Outlaws the first four innings, forced batters to hit the ball, and only had one walk. Odin Thorson made his varsity debut on the mound and closed out the fifth inning.

Morgan hit a one-out single which scored two to start the first inning. The Outlaws' big blast came from Harrer in the third. Justin connected on a pitch down at his knees, and ripped a three-run homer on a shot directly into the teeth of the wind, that sailed over the left-field fence.

Harrer finished the game two-for-three with four RBI. Olivier was three-for-three.

"Alex is on a hitting terror," said Hodges. "He's been hitting the ball very well and very consistent. He's improved his batting average by a couple of hundred points in the last two weeks. He's on an extremely hot hitting-streak and he's getting the job done."

The Outlaws were to play at Cottage Grove on Tuesday, April 28, and then host Sweet Home on Friday.