The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

After opening the season with a convincing win that featured 21 runs, Sisters High School's varsity softball team's bats went quiet and lost four games by lopsided margins last week.

In seeing their preseason record fall to 1-4, the Outlaws lost to La Pine 11-1, Madras 14-3, and dropped a twin bill to Crook County 27-5 and 26-0. All four setbacks were run-rule defeats (game called after five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule).

"Our players got to see different styles of pitching and different type of pitches," said third-year Outlaw Coach Dave Smith. "And they got to see a real good change from Crook Country's Kaye Martinez. It was a mental challenge for the girls."

Smith noted this is the type of pitching his team will see when Sky-Em League play begins next week.

After getting 18 hits in its season-opening win over Klamath Union, the Outlaws managed just one hit and one run off junior Josie Hawkins in losing to La Pine. The Outlaws got their lone run on a triple by freshman Anessa Stotts, who scored on a ground ball out by Sydney Wright.

"We had some quality at-bats, but just not enough to amount an offense," said Smith.

Tatum Stitz doubled and singled against Madras. Also getting hits against the White Buffaloes were Stotts, Isabelle Spitler, and Sarah Hartford.

Grace Maiden and Spitler shared the pitching duties. The key to the Madras game was an eight-run first inning by the host Buffaloes. After that, Smith was pleased with the way his squad played.

"We had more energy than we did against La Pine," said Smith. "It's a learning process. We're a young team, only one senior, so finding silver linings are important and encouraging."

In the first game against Crook County, the Outlaws showed a surplus of energy and scored five in their half of the first inning as Stitz walked, Spitler doubled, Stotts tripled, Jordan Andrews and Sarah Hartford each singled.

"It was our best inning of the season, and it came against good pitching," added the Outlaws head coach.

After that, however, Martinez introduced the Outlaws to her change-up.

Crook County responded with 10 runs of their own in the second.

The Outlaws' other run came in the fourth, when Stotts doubled and was driven in by a Hartford single.

The second game was all Cowgirls as Stitz singled twice and Ellie Rush and Wright each singled.

Next up for the SHS varsity was a home Jamboree double-header featuring Gladstone and Jefferson on March 26.

In addition to the Sky-Em opener on April 4, Smith noted the Outlaws would be scheduling "Strike Out Cancer" and "Veterans Appreciation" games this season.