The Philomath High School softball team opened Oregon West Conference play Wednesday with a 12-2 loss on its home field to Cascade.
The Warriors trailed 3-1 going into the fourth inning but the visitors started to pull away by putting up a four-spot on the scoreboard. Cascade added a couple of more runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to eventually win on the 10-run mercy rule.
Errors plagued the Warriors in the loss with five committed in the field. Nine of Cascade’s 12 runs were unearned.
Philomath got on the board in the third inning. Mia Bennett hit a one-out single and later came around to score when Elizabeth Morales-Marquez singled.
In the fifth, the Warriors added another run when Grace Bennett scored on a dropped third strike situation that got Janae Traglia to first base. Bennett had reached on a walk and moved up to third on a double by Presley Reichhuber.
Cascade pitchers held PHS to four hits in the game while striking out 13 and walking just two. Philomath pitchers allowed eight hits and nine walks against six strikeouts.
Malia Scanlan, Amyah Miranda and Alyssa Collins each had two hits for the Cougars (4-2 overall, 1-0 Oregon West).
The Warriors (1-9, 0-1) are scheduled to play at 2 p.m. Friday at Stayton.
