Cascade High, a top-10 softball team that is unbeaten in the Oregon West Conference this season, left Philomath’s Warrior Field Wednesday with a 25-8 victory.
The Warriors had a small victory within the loss, however, by getting the game into the fourth inning. Philomath trailed 20-0 after 2-1/2 innings and faced losing on the 15-run rule unless it could score at least six runs in the bottom of the third.
Gallery: PHS softball vs. Cascade (May 6, 2026)
A collection of photos from Philomath High’s softball game at Warrior Field vs. Cascade on Wednesday.
The Warriors (6-9 overall, 1-7 Oregon West) erupted for eight runs to extend the contest.
“We’ve been working really hard on fighting through games,” PHS coach Kari Jaques said. “We’re young like I’ve said and we did something that we’re actively trying to do better and today was exactly that.”
Cascade (13-5, 8-0) countered with five runs in the top of the fourth and held the Warriors in the bottom half to end the game.
Jaques said she avoided using her team’s top pitcher, sophomore Hailey Smith, in the game with plans to put her in the circle on Thursday.
“That’s why we threw the other two pitchers,” Jaques said, referring to sophomore Libby Kramer and junior Haley King. “They both did a great job but our defense did not play well.”
The Warriors opened the third with a single to center field by senior Emma May. Sophomore Rylee Martin reached on an error and then both scored on junior Emily Burner’s triple over the right fielder’s head.
Philomath loaded the bases after Kramer and Smith reached on walks. Junior Riley Mason followed with another walk to force in the team’s third run.
After a pitching change, Philomath kept the offensive momentum going on a ball put into play by King. Kramer scored and the bases remained loaded. Sophomore Natalie Muir then reached on an error and two more runs came in for the Warriors.
A dropped third strike and overthrow of first base by the catcher led to another run. The team’s eighth run scored when Martin reached on a fielder’s choice — the Cougars forcing out a runner at second for the inning’s second out. After hitting a batter, Cascade ended the inning with a strikeout.
In the top of the fourth, Philomath’s defense had its top moment of the day when Kramer at shortstop caught a line drive and doubled off a Cascade baserunner at first.
Senior Cassidy Crabtree and sophomore Taylor Bays led Cascade’s offense with four hits apiece. Bays got the win at pitcher.
Philomath will try to snap a seven-game losing streak with a 5:15 p.m. game Thursday against Newport.
“I want to see us come out and fight, you know, and put up more aggressive games,” Jaques said when asked about the rest of the season. “If we win them, we win them, and if we don’t, we don’t. But I want to put the fight in so we know we played.”
The start time of Thursday’s varsity game was changed from 3:30 to an approximate start of 5:15 p.m. to accommodate Newport, which has some players with testing during the day. As a result, the junior varsity will play first. Jaques designated the game as “Always a Warrior Alumni Night” with Kylie Barnes throwing out the first pitch.
Cascade 25, Philomath 8 (4)
Wednesday, May 6, at Warrior Field, Philomath HS
Team 1 2 3 4 R H E Cascade (13-5, 8-0) 5 10 5 5 25 19 4 Philomath (6-9, 1-7) 0 0 8 0 8 4 6
Bays, Tingle (2), Bays (3) and Kastl; Kramer, King (2) and Mason. W — Bays. L — Kramer. 2B — Bays, Brackett. 3B — Burner.
