Outlaws baseball preps for playoffs

Sisters' baseball team picked up two games this past week to prepare for the upcoming playoffs. The Outlaws suffered a tough 11-10 loss at La Pine on Wednesday, May 17, but turned it around at home two days later with a 10-0 shut-out against Blanchet Catholic in five innings.

In Wednesday's game against La Pine, the Outlaws started off great. Zach Morgan ripped a two-run blast in the top of the first to give the Outlaws a quick 2-0 lead. In the second, Sisters added five more runs with big hits from several players. Hayden Parsons had a two-RBI single, and Austin Morss and Jett Mingus both had an RBI single.

Morgan hit a solo homerun to highlight the fourth inning. Cook hit a double for the Outlaws, and at the close of the inning Sisters held a 4-0 advantage.

Will Werts hit an RBI single in the fifth, and at the close of the inning Sisters was on top 10-0.

It was all Sisters in the first four innings. The Outlaws' two pitchers, Ryan Cook and Austin Morss were in charge on the mound and held LaPine scoreless.

In the bottom of the fifth, all the wheels fell off for the Outlaws, especially on the mound. The Hawks drove in all 11 of their runs, and then held on to win by one.

Two days later, the Outlaws turned it around and recorded a shut-out over Blanchet. Sisters scored 10 runs on 11 hits and two errors. Blanchet committed three errors and didn't get one hit in the

game.

Jett Mingus did a great job on the mound, threw all five innings, and earned the win. Every pitch was working for him, and he threw fastballs, curve balls, and change-ups perfectly.

Gannon's double to right center scored Christopher Luz in the first inning to get the Outlaws on the scoreboard. Ryan Cook hit an RBI single, and Mingus hit a single down the left field line to drive in two, and give the Outlaws a 4-0 lead.

Sisters scored a run on an error in the second, and in the third, with two outs, Tanner Stutzman hit a line drive to right center that drove in Morss.

The Outlaws racked up three more runs in the fourth. The first run came off a third-base error, followed by an RBI single up the middle from Mingus. Joe Scholl hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop, which scored Mingus and pushed Sisters to a 9-0 advantage.

In the fifth, Will Werts hit a walk-off single up the middle to give the Outlaws their 10th run and end the game.

Hodges said, "The difference in this game compared to the last one was that we threw strikes, didn't walk guys, and we held their offense at bay. Our offense made contact and no one struck out."

Hodges told The Nugget that he feels the Outlaws are ready for the playoffs.

"The guys are going to lock in and be focused," said Hodges. "We'll be ready to go."

Sisters (No. 3) will play at home against Cascade (No. 14) on Wednesday, May 24. The game is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.