The Philomath High School softball team notched its first win of the season Tuesday with a 14-11 victory over Brookings-Harbor on the second day of the North Medford Spring Break Tournament.
The Warriors (1-6) regrouped to post the victory after a frustrating 10-9 loss to Dayton in their first game of the day.
In the win over Bruins, Philomath erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning to break open what had been a close game. The two teams were tied 6-6 through three innings.
Kaylie Kohler led off the fourth by reaching on an error, stealing second, advancing to third on a passed ball and then scoring on a passed ball. After Kelsey Olsen and Janae Traglia walked, Ahnika Tryon smacked a triple to give the Warriors a 9-6 lead.
Tryon then scored on Elizabeth Morales-Marquez’s ground-ball and later in the inning, Presley Reichhuber tripled with two outs to plate two more runs — Mia Bennett, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, and Briahna Ledbetter, who had walked. Kohler then singled as Reichhuber scored.
Brookings-Harbor (1-8) pushed five runs across in the fifth while Philomath struggled with issuing walks and committing errors but the team was able to hang on for the victory. The game ended with Philomath’s catcher, Traglia, throwing out a base runner to third baseman Grace Bennett.
Tryon went 3 for 4 with three RBIs to lead PHS hitters. Kohler went 2 for 3 with three runs and Bennett was 2 for 4 with two runs.
Jaci Arlandson and Kami Koepnick each had two hits for the Bruins.
In its earlier game, Philomath lost the game to Dayton with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. The Pirates scored the winning run on a passed ball.
The Warriors led the game 8-4 going into the bottom of the fourth. Kohler walked and scored on an error in the first inning for the team’s first run. In the second, Kohler hit a one-run single to drive in Isabel Morales-Marquez for a 2-0 lead.
After Dayton went up 4-2, the Warriors responded in the third with four runs to regain the advantage. Traglia led off with a double, stole third and scored on a Grace Bennett single. Two batters later, Mia Bennett drove in Grace Bennett with a single and Isabel Morales-Marquez, who had walked, moved over to third. Both Isabel Morales-Marquez and Mia Bennett would eventually score on errors.
In the fourth, PHS scored twice with Kohler leading off with a triple and stealing home. Kelsey Olsen reached on an error and later scored on another error.
Dayton pulled to within 8-7 in the bottom of the fourth and Philomath scored a run in the top of the fifth thanks to Pirate errors. That set up the bottom of the fifth with Dayton ending up with the win.
Ledbetter threw for Philomath and allowed three hits and seven walks with two earned runs and five strikeouts. Kohler and Traglia each went 2 for 3 to lead PHS hitters.
Philomath now takes a break until an April 7 game at Pendleton.
