Wednesday, April 6, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
7
Youthful Outlaws softball team takes the field
By Tom Mauldin
Correspondent
Sisters High School’s
youthful varsity softball team
has been battling numbers
since practice began in early
March. And the recent num-
bers weighed heavily against
the Outlaws as they prepared
for the opening of Sky-Em
League play.
The numbers battle has
included:
• Low number of players
that forced a late start to the
season;
• A two-week spring break
with several players on vaca-
tion or church missions;
• Limited number of play-
ers able to practice during the
spring break;
• Seven freshmen on a
12-player roster;
• A pre-game injury
before the Madras game left
the Outlaws with 10 players
at game-time;
• And, of course, the 34
runs two opponents scored
against the Outlaws last
week, while scoring just
three.
The Outlaws, playing for
the first time in three weeks,
dropped a pair of non-con-
ference games April 1 and
2, losing 21-0 to Madras and
13-3 to La Pine.
The Sky-Em League sea-
son opens this week for the
Outlaws with a pair of road
games to Cottage Grove and
Sweet Home.
“It got bad before the
(Madras) game started,”
said first-year Coach Dave
Smith. “During warmup, our
starting first baseman Beth
Ann Yount got injured, hav-
ing to leave the game early.
This hurt us as Yount is a
good player, energetic, and
a key to the infield. And
another player could not get
a piece of jewelry out and
had to sit out for a couple of
innings (as required by the
Oregon Schools Activities
Association) forcing me to
put another person in her
starting position.”
Despite the lopsided
losses, Smith is optimistic
and found some silver linings
in the two games.
“Given we had only had
one full practice on the field
and have girls who have
never played before hit the
ball and get on base, I am
seeing improvement with the
younger girls every practice,”
said Smith.
Smith noted the play-
ers have been working on
fundamentals of hitting the
ball, and focusing on running
bases and infielding.
“During spring break, we
did not have a full practice,
but we have been working
with four to five girls each
day,” added Smith. “This
gives us the chance to work
with the girls individually
on the skills they need to
improve on.”
In the loss to La Pine, the
Outlaws out-hit their foes
11-7, but four errors and 11
walks helped the Hawks.
Kennedy Smith, Nason,
and Sophia Affatati led the
Outlaws at the plate.
Despite the walks, pitch-
ers Nason and Amanda Smith
combined for six strikeouts
in the five-inning contest.
The rust and lack of
numbers showed a bit more
against Madras, a team play-
ing its ninth of the season —
whereas the Outlaws were
playing for the first time
in three weeks. The White
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Buffaloes jumped out to a 9-0
first-inning lead, and cruised
from there.
Nason and Smith again
showed potential, combining
for 10 strikeouts, but walking
a dozen.
“I was impressed with
how Nason was able to step
up and take the mound,” said
Smith. She also singled and
walked.
Nancy Montecinos, a
freshman and first-time
softball player, singled her
first official at-bat against
Madras.
“This girl has come a
long way,” said the Outlaws
coach. “On the first day of
practice, we had to teach her
the fundamentals of a swing
from the very beginning. I
see a lot of potential in her.
She is very coachable, and
has been coming before prac-
tice for extra work on her
skills.”
Smith also praised the
work ethic of Kylie Steiner,
who started behind the plate
for her first time ever at
catching.
“This kid is willing to
play anywhere you want
her to, and she is willing to
learn,” he said.
Affatati also singled
photo by JErry bALDoCk
Amanda smith pitched against Madras in the outlaws first game in three
weeks.
against Madras.
“We are seeing the under-
classman improving on their
hitting and fielding. We are
seeing their confidence grow
each practice,” said Smith.
After opening Sky-Em
play on the road Monday
and Wednesday, the Outlaws
will host Elmira on Friday
(April 8) and Junction City
on Monday (April 11).
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