Outlaws struggle with momentum shift on diamond

The Outlaws posted a 13-2 win in six innings at Elmira on Monday, April 30, and at home a day later beat the Cottage Grove Lions 3-2. The victories were their fourth straight victory, but on Friday that momentum came to a quick end. Sisters dropped both games at home in their double-header against Junction City; a 4-1 loss in the first game, and a 9-3 loss in the second.

In Monday's action, the Outlaws held a 7-0 lead after two innings. Neither team scored again until the sixth inning, and then Sisters opened the floodgates, racked up six more runs and took a 13-0 lead. The Falcons scored two in the bottom of the inning, but with the Outlaws up by 10, the game ended due to the 10-run rule.

Spencer Kemp had a clutch double in the sixth, with a rocket to right center, which drove in two of Sisters' six runs.

Zach Morgan recorded three hits and one RBI. Turner Stutzman had two hits, including a triple, and Taylor Fendall, and Hunter Spor both had two hits, and one RBI in the game. Pherry Luz, Dillon Tucker, and Kemp all singled; and both Tucker and Kemp posted two RBI each.

Austin Morss and Spor took care of the pitching duties, and both did a good job of throwing strikes, and forcing Elmira to put the ball in play. Morss threw the first three innings, gave up one hit, and struck out four batters. Spor came in as relief, and gave up two runs.

The defense did an extraordinary job. Stutzman made two highlight-reel catches in center field, one of them a diving snag that saved a run. TJ Lawrence also made a couple of very nice catches in left field. The squad was even able to turn a couple of double plays, despite the poor field conditions.

"Offensively, we went out and executed our game plan, and had timely hitting throughout the game from different players," said Coach Reed Rainey. "It was nice to see production from everyone in the line-up."

It was an exciting finish for Sisters in their home game against the Lions a day later.

The score was even at 0-0 as teams headed into the seventh frame. Cottage Grove scored two runs in the top of the inning and then Sisters took their turn at bat.

Morss hit a grounder to right center to get the Outlaws started, and Stutzman followed with a walk. With runners at first and second, Luz hit a clutch bunt, advanced the runners, and was safe at first.

With the bases loaded, Morgan stepped up to the plate. As has been the case in his last few at bats, he was intentionally walked, due to his big threat with the bat. Morss scored on the walk, and Sisters narrowed the gap to one.

The Lions removed Sayles as pitcher, and put in Browning. Fendall, who'd made contact in his previous at-bats, but struggled to get the ball in play, took the plate. Taylor was poised and ready, connected perfectly, and singled with a shot past the third baseman for a critical run to tie it up at 2-2.

Fendall said, "With a new pitcher, I really didn't know what to expect, but I knew I had to put the ball in play. It was such a relief when I got to first. I knew I'd done my job."

With the bases loaded, Austin Lake got ready. Browning's first two pitches were balls, the second a wild pitch, which scored Luz and gave the Outlaws the win.

Morgan threw the first four innings for Sisters, had zero runs on three hits, and struck out eight. Stutzman came in as relief and allowed two runs on two hits, and struck our four.

The Outlaws logged 10 hits in the game, compared to the Lions, who recorded five.

Morss had three hits in the game, Luz and Lake each recorded two, and Stutzman, Fendall, and Dillon Tucker each contributed one.

In Friday's double-header, the Outlaws out-hit the Tigers in both games, but it wasn't enough for a win in either one. Sisters left runners on base in critical situations; eight runners were left stranded in the first game and nine in the second.

Sisters is currently 8-5 in league and 14-8 overall. The Outlaws were to wrap up league play with a make-up game against Elmira on Monday, May 7, and a game at Sweet Home against the Huskies a day later.